Workers digging up Main Street for the second phase of the "Streetscape" beautification project hit an approximately $30,000 problem shortly after the project began late last month: Dirt contaminated by gasoline.

"It looks like it was fairly local," said Community and Economic Development Authority Director Salvador Pina, noting that crews dug several other pits to see if there was more other contamination, but workers did not find anything.

The extra money will be covered by the project's contingency funds, which is earmarked for unexpected issues such as this.

The project, which is slated to be finished on June 28, was not delayed.

"We thought [the contamination] might set the project back, but it didn't," Pina said.

Samples of the dirt were sent to a lab to be examined. It is not clear when the dirt was contaminated, though Pina said the lab may be able to figure that out.

Workers determined that the fill dirt was of poor quality and thus had to be replaced, which upped the price tag of the project. Normally, the contaminated dirt could be put back and covered with asphalt, rather than replaced, Pina said.

The dirt is currently on Merchants Way, properly covered as advised by the project's "licensed site professional," who deals with such issues. Pina said that once all testing is complete, the dirt will be disposed of.

"The level of contamination determines where it gets disposed," Pina explained.

The approximately $700,000 project will cover the area between Center Street and the Narrows Bridge.

The plan includes the extension of a sidewalk in front of Cumberland Farms, where there is currently no curbing, and will add a sidewalk adjacent to Hess, along the access road that connects Main Street to Merchants Way.

A crosswalk will be added in front of M&D Bait & Tackle, which will also lose its curb cuts to make way for a sidewalk. The sidewalk will continue as Main Street bears to the left toward the Narrows Bridge.

The intersection of lower Main Street and Sandwich Road will get updated, for both traffic flow and pedestrian safety. Engineers have designed a 90-degree right-hand turn in that area.

The Community and Economic Development Authority completed the first phase of the project last year. It updated the curbing, sidewalks, street lights, and signs on Main Street between Center Street and the Post Office.