As downtown gets a face lift with new developments, two streets will join the revitalization this summer. Erie and Depeyster Streets will be fully rebuilt in a project beginning this summer and finishing in the spring of 2013, City Engineer Jim Bowling said.

Bowling said the rebuilding of these two streets was a decision that was made in conjunction with the development downtown. Both streets are in the heart of the current construction, and Bowling said the developers agreed to build, knowing that the streets around them would be repaired.

“This was needed whether developers came or not,” Bowling said.

Steve Plotts, a manager at EuroGyro, located on South Depeyester Street, said the repairs have been needed.

“It is really bumpy,” he said. “Especially where [Depeyster] meets Haymaker.”

Plotts said he didn’t think road repairs would affect business as long as people could still find a way to get there.

Tim Nightengale, owner of Wild Earth Outfitters in Acorn Alley II, said repairs are definitely needed, but he was worried it could be a negative for his business if the road is closed for a long period of time.

“In the long run it is a good thing,” Nightengale said.

Bowling said in addition to being generally rebuilt, the roads would also be made more pedestrian friendly with the addition of wider sidewalks.

Repairs will last through the summer and the majority of the work should be finished by mid-November, Bowling said. Both of the roads will not be done at the same time, so through-traffic will still be able to use them.

While the repairs on these streets were needed, Bowling said entire streets are only rebuilt in extreme circumstances.

“There are several levels of roadwork done on an annual basis,” he said.

Generally, Bowling said major roadwork isn’t done until April, when the asphalt plants open for the season. Even with a mild winter like this one, Bowling said the plants wouldn’t open until it gets much warmer.

“It takes a lot to get the plants running,” he said.

Bowling said the city maintenance department places temporary patches on potholes and damages throughout the winter. Once the plants open again, a full repair can be done on the road beginning with completely cutting out bad asphalt.

Part of the reason Erie and Depeyster streets will be rebuilt is the amount of bad asphalt.

“Even if we milled off parts, there was no good asphalt,” Bowling said.

The next major roadwork to be done in the city will be a full repair of Summit Street in 2014. Bowling said the repairs would address congestion, safety and bad pavement.

Contact Meghan Bogardus at [email protected].