By PHYLLIS ZORN

Staff writer

Work to resurface Grand Ave. from Adams to Washington Sts. began last week.

Hett Construction workers removed brick and underlying concrete along the first two blocks west of Adams St. The work is the beginning of a $503,548 project to run five blocks.

Along the north side of Hillsboro Middle and High School the street is down to dirt. Bricks are piled on the easement, waiting for volunteers who will re-lay the two-block section of bricks after a concrete bed is poured. Curbs are being cut away for replacement.

Volunteer brick-layers will soon be recruited. Council member Jonah Gehring said the school was expected to provide some students to help with the brick-laying.

“We’re going to start the brick layout on the alley at the east side of the high school,” city administrator Larry Paine said.

Bricks will be laid west to the alley of the 300 block of E. Grand Ave., passing in front of the Schaeffler House museum.

Dave Hett expects the project to be completed in September.

“One of the biggest concerns I had about Grand is what type of surface we want to have,” Paine said. “We are recognizing the kind of street system we had a long time ago by putting it in front of the school. It’s something people will see all the time and people coming to town will look and say, ‘Hey, they’re recognizing the kind of streets they used to have.’”

Other street projects will follow. Streets around Hillsboro Elementary School, where new water lines have been laid, will be worked on this summer with an eye to having the work finished before school starts, councilman Gehring said.

The city plans to add more streets to those getting resurfaced, but has not decided on when that will happen, he said.