Crews from Payne and Dolan remove black top from Ludington Street in Escanaba Thursday to prepare for underground utility work.

ESCANABA — Milling of Ludington Street is continuing today in Escanaba. Construction crews are removing the blacktop from 6th Street to 14th Street. Work from 14th to 16th Street is expected to occur later this summer.

Project Manager Darren Pionk of C2AE said removing the pavement is a key step in preparing for underground work.

“A large machine comes in and peels away the black top off the roadway,” Pionk said. “With all of the utilities underneath, we need to get the pavement off so that it opens up the road for the contractors to start work.”

The project includes replacement of aging water mains, storm and sanitary sewers and lead service lines.

The surface was removed from 6th to 9th Street yesterday. Construction crews will continue to mill the road from 9th to 14th Street today. Milling will continue Saturday if needed.

Crews are expected to begin removing curbs and sidewalks next week between 9th and 11th Streets as work shifts to replacing sanitary sewer laterals.

“Once they get the removal of the curb and gutter and portions of the sidewalk, probably down to about 10th Street, 11th Street, that’s when they will bring in their crew to start installing the sanitary sewer,” said Pionk.

Pionk said the sanitary sewer system, which is the deepest infrastructure, must be installed first.

“It’s a sequence,” he said. “We have to start with the deepest sewer first which is the sanitary first, and then the storm, and then the water main so it’s a repeating sequence to get these utilities in.”

City officials also note there may be a temporary water service interruption next week. Details will be announced once scheduling is finalized.

The Escanaba Downtown Development Authority is posting construction updates and business information on its website escanabadowntown.com.