Preparatory work on phase 1 of the $800,000 "Streetscape" project aimed at beautifying Main Street began on Friday, March 23 with the concrete sawing of the two alleys connecting Main Street to Merchants Way.

Official work on the project will begin on Monday, March 26, according to Tony Resendes, construction worker for Manuel R. Pavao Contractor Inc., the contractor working on the project.

Phase 1 of the grant-funded Community and Economic Development Authority project focuses on the area from the Post Office to Center Street. Work will involve repaving; creation of "bump out" curbing, replacement of the existing streetlight poles with new lights designed to look like old-fashioned globe lights on cast-iron poles; and a redesign of two alleys connecting Main Street to Merchants Way.