[05/30/03] After five months of work, the first two blocks of downtown Washington Street will be ready for traffic this weekend.

Crews from Hemphill Construction Co. of Florence cleaned off sand used under the brick paving in the 1100 and 1200 blocks of Washington Street Thursday before reopening a portion between Grove and China.

Reconstruction work also began in the next two blocks south two weeks ago, where plans include straightening the road and widening it for two-way traffic as part of reversing changes made in a 1970s federal Urban Renewal.

All the work is part of a $2.6 million project that will continue through the five downtown blocks of Washington Street. In addition to new brick paving, there will be different landscaping and new light fixtures.

The second phase is scheduled to be finished in late August, said Keith O’Keefe with Neel-Schafer Inc.

O’Keefe said plans are to open the block between China and Clay streets for one-way traffic this weekend and to reopen for two-way traffic later.

“They’ve still got to do some curb work at Clay and Washington,” he said.

Work in the last block of the project area between South and Veto streets is expected to begin in July at the same time as work is being done between Clay and South streets.