The downtown area of the City of Perry will experience maintenance repairs later this year for people to be aware of.

According to Perry’s City Engineer Matt Ferrier, a planned reconstruction phase has been in the works for approximately 20 years, but had to wait for the right amount of funding to become available. He points out that a project that is close to starting is the alleyway behind Casey’s General Store on 1st Avenue, which includes Warford Street to 3rd Street, and apart of 2nd Avenue along Willis Avenue heading north. Ferrier emphasizes that these changes will help enhance Perry’s infrastructure.

“The downtown projects will have the opportunity for water quality improvement aspects of it. Very aesthetically pleasing (and) it will also create opportunities for safer pedestrians movements in the downtown, and certainly a side benefit of that is that it’s a great economic driver when you’ve got a nice revitalization project like that, that really hopes both foot traffic for businesses and enticing other businesses to relocate and come build their businesses in the downtown (area).

Ferrier explains that the project is being paid through federal and state money, water quality initiative funding, and several grants. He adds that the plan is to bid the project in the spring, and work is anticipated to start in the summer.