Travelers through downtown Renton should expect temporary inconvenience as the city plans to begin its downtown utility and road improvement projects.

Renton’s Utility Systems Director, Ron Straka, said the projects are part of a vision that the Mayor and City Council have had for the revitalization of the downtown area.

He says the project will replace older pipe infrastructure with new piping more adequate for supporting higher population densities in the area.

The project will add approximately 5,600 linear feet of new stormwater pipes, 8,000 feet of new sanitary sewer pipes, and 3,300 feet of new water lines along South Second Street, South Third Street, Mill Avenue South, Morris Avenue South, Whitworth Avenue South and Shattuck Avenue South.

Straka said the project will also improve South 2nd and South 3rd Avenues from one-way to two-way streets, in addition to doing the same thing to South Williams Avenue and South Wells Avenue.

During the construction, which includes a deep excavation for replacing sewer pipes, Straka said traffic detours could be put into effect as well as lane closures.

“The project will be designed to minimize the effect on downtown businesses,” Straka said.

The project is estimated to start around March, according to Straka and will cost around $15 million.