You asked: When is Main Street downtown going to be resurfaced? It is much worse than Portsmouth Boulevard was or the recently resurfaced Nansemond Parkway. It is embarrassing for or downtown to look so bad. — B.H., Suffolk

L.J. Hansen, assistant director with the Suffolk Department of Public Works, says the work is scheduled to start Sunday.

“Asphalt work will be accomplished at night between the hours of 7 p.m. and 5 a.m. and is, of course, weather dependent,” he stated.

The total length to be resurfaced is 5.8 lane miles, and a lane-mile is the length of road times the number of lanes of road, Hansen added.

The project, he stated, will extend from Meade Parkway to the signaled intersection for Walmart/Moe’s/Panera.

Four lanes are being resurfaced plus the paved median, which is not counted in the road miles calculation, according to Hansen.

“The actual length or distance from one end of the project to the other extends just over one mile long,” Hansen stated.

Hansen estimated the project would take 10 workdays, “contingent upon weather and coordination with the Virginia Department of Transportation,” which is taking the opportunity to replace some traffic information loops in the road surface.

“They are requesting the milled surface be exposed for a week to perform their maintenance work,” Hansen stated.

The Department of Public Works will also coordinate with Public Utilities on its ongoing project on Main Street.

“Obviously, we will endeavor to have the project completed as quickly as possible, but with coordination between multiple projects and the possibility for weather events, there is the possibility that the project might take longer than the estimate,” Hansen stated.

Blair Brothers will do the milling and paving under an annual services contract, utilizing a subcontractor as needed for some milling, according to Hansen.

According to Hansen, “funding for the maintenance component of the project is secured through the VDOT Urban Maintenance Funding Program.

“Public Utilities will cost-share for the portion of the project that was necessitated by their work in the roadway.”

The cost for the Public Works maintenance side of things is $514,670, according to Hansen.

“The results of this work will be to preserve or improve the roadway’s structural integrity and to improve the riding surface,” he stated.

“You Asked” is a new feature in the Suffolk News-Herald, and we want you to submit ideas for it. Ask a question about something you’ve always wanted to know, and we will track down the answer. Submit your ideas to news@suffolknewsherald.com with “You Asked” in the subject line.