The day drivers, who drive regularly travel Old Cahaba Road, J.L. Chestnut Boulevard, Medical Center Parkway and surrounding streets have been both dreading — and looking forward to — is just around the corner.

The long-anticipated resurfacing project for portions of Old Cahaba Road, J.L. Chestnut Boulevard and Medical Center Parkway will reportedly begin after the long Labor Day weekend.

A sign, placed along J.L. Chestnut Boulevard by Ward 3 Selma City Councilman Greg Bjelke, announced the news to drivers. Attempts to reach Bjelke for comment Saturday were unsuccessful.

Selma City Council President Corey Bowie confirmed the project would begin the week after Labor, but was uncertain of the exact day, saying Bjelke was a member of the council who attended a meeting with Alabama Department of Transportation officials in Montgomery late last week.

In an earlier interview with the Times-Journal, Selma Mayor George Evans said the repaving project is just one of several state-provided ATRIP projects scheduled for the city.

While there were previous concerns about the repaving happening simultaneously with the massive bridge replacement project on Dallas Avenue, which forced massive traffic detours onto the portions of J.L. Chestnut Boulevard scheduled to be repaved, Evans said city leaders decided against asking the state to delay the repaving project.

The three projects set to take place in Selma include the repaving of Old Cahaba Road and Medical Center Parkway, the repaving of Water Avenue from Race Street towards the Cecil Jackson Bypass and the resurfacing of Lapsley Street from J.L. Chestnut Boulevard to Woodrow Avenue. The state funded $4 million for the completion of all three.

All three projects will cost the city $658,000, which is the amount matched they are required to pay.