Washington Ave. Rebuild: Long, Hot Summer for Endicott Businesses

Business owners along Endicott's Washington Avenue are doing what they can to survive during the massive reconstruction project of the village business district.

Construction work on the $11 modernization project began two months ago.

Endicott Mayor Nick Burlingame said the crews are "a week or two weeks ahead of schedule." He said four crews are working simultaneously along The Avenue.

Burlingame told WNBF News "it's really quite an impressive operation." He said if you drive by the work area "it kind of looks like a scene out from the wild, wild West with the dark brown soil and no light poles." But it's actually an active construction zone with plenty of work being done.

Burlingame said workers are starting early in the morning and working into the evening to accomplish as much as possible every day.

The mayor said a project engineer noted the Washington Avenue job is unusual in that typically under roadways being reconstructed, crews will find plenty of fill and debris. He said beneath the surface of The Avenue, there's basically just clean dirt, which has helped move things ahead of schedule.

Burlingame said the project "looks rough right now but it will be absolutely stunning when it's complete." There'll be new water lines, an upgraded storm water system along with new pavement, sidewalks, lighting and trees.

While the end result "will be beautiful," the mayor is asking people "to hang in there until it's done."

The originally announced completion date for the project was mid-November but Burlingame is expressing optimism that it will be finished before then.

VIDEO: A look at some of the work being done on The Avenue in Endicott.

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Contact WNBF News reporter Bob Joseph: bob@wnbf.com. For breaking news and updates on developing stories, follow @BinghamtonNow on Twitter.