Progress is being made on the City of Andalusia’s plan to revamp South Three Notch Street, but it will likely be next spring before work begins, and early 2015 before the project is completed.

Earlier this year, the city was awarded $8.6 million in ATRIP funding from the State of Alabama for the project, which will be used to bring South Three Notch Street to the standards of East Three Notch and River Falls streets, complete with underground utilities, new sidewalks, and decorative lighting. The city must provide $2.1 million in matching funds.

Project engineer Tim Ramsden of CDG Engineers told the city council Tuesday night that design work for the project is a third done. A traffic study also has been completed.

At present, the improvements will: make South Three Notch:

• three lanes from the bypass to the hospital entrance, with a dedicated right turn lanes.

• three lanes from the hospital entrance to Simmons Street with the center lane designated as a turn lane.

• two lanes from Simmons Street to the railroad tracks.

Ramsden said he expects the project to include a sidewalk from the bypass to town on the hospital side of South Three Notch. Closer to town, there will continue to be sidewalks on both sides of the street.

While the Alabama Department of Transportation has said it will let bids for the project in December, Ramsden said he expects the state to take longer than planned. The project will be completed in 240 working days, or approximately 12 to 16 months.

Mayor Earl Johnson said stakeholders will be invited to a meeting to review the project plans before they are finalized.

Ramsden said the project is being designed so that traffic can flow there as smoothly as possible.