A portion of Ray Avenue will be closed for approximately three weeks for storm water drain repairs.

Vaughn Daniels, director of Environmental Services, said the city would be upgrading the storm water drainage system that runs beneath Ray Avenue. The work required the road to be closed from George Wallace to Dozier Drive.

“We are adding an additional pipe to increase the water flow capabilities in the area,” Daniels said. “With the new project that will be added to Dozier Drive, it will increase the water flow of the storm water therefore we needed to increase the drainage system and pipes beneath that particular road.”

The city had waited to begin the project until they confirmed a planned apartment complex would be built on Dozier Drive. Work began Monday on the upgrade to the drainage system. Daniels said the project would take approximately 15 working days, but that amount of time could be increased should the construction engineer deem a day “unworkable.”

“Working days are classified in different ways, because it’s only the days you can work,” Daniels said. “The weather does affect working days, so if it rains and it’s determined they can’t work that day doesn’t count.”

Daniels said the road would be closed for the duration of the project.

“The headwalls will have to be removed to add the new pipe as well as the road being totally taken out,” Daniels said. “It will have to be rebuilt or restored to add the additional water pipe. The curbing will also have to be replaced. It’s almost just having to rebuild that whole section of road once that pipe goes in.”

Drivers who regularly utilize the street are being asked to find an alternate route, Daniels said.

“There is no way around the road being closed, because the whole road is being taken up,” Daniels said. “Residents are asked to take an alternate route either using Franklin Drive of U.S. Highway 231 or George Wallace Drive.

“We appreciate the patience of the citizens who are being inconvenienced by this project,” Daniels said. “But, this project is for the betterment of Troy.”