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MARQUETTE -- Hot asphalt, detour signs, and bumpy roads.

With 23 road projects going on in Marquette this summer, it's hard to cross town without running into at least one of them.

Take for example, Kaye Avenue.  Smith Paving milled up one-and-a-half inches of asphalt on the street this Wednesday morning, preparing to repave it in a couple of weeks.

It's one of 18 streets scheduled for new curbs and pavement in the next month.

That list includes:

Street Disruptions and Closures

Granite Ave – Huntington to dead end
Kimber Ave – Center to Dead End
Odovero Drive – McClellan to Econo Foods
Ridge Street – Rublein to Lincoln
Lincoln Ave – Cleveland to College
Lincoln Ave – Ridge to Bluff
Logan Street – McClellan Street to West Ave, McClellan East to bike path
Sheridan Street – Hancock to Sherman
Waldo Ave – Garfield W to dead end
Waldo Ave – Woodland W to dead end
Fitch Ave – Hawley to Harlow
Hawley Street – Longyear to Presque Isle
Longyear Ave – Harlow to Union
Kaye Ave – Presque Isle to Hebert Court
Furnace Street – Front to Division
West Avenue – Wright to Fair
Kaye Avenue – Seventh to Eighth
Lakeshore Blvd. – Baraga to Ridge
Wright Street
Michigan Street
Champion Street - after Labor Day
White Street
Wilkinson Street
Presque Isle Avenue - Harlow to Hawley

Lakeshore Boulevard was milled on Monday.

"We're not anticipating any street closures," said City Engineer, Keith Whittington.  "They'll be under flag control.  And even if they are closed, it won't be for that long of time, because the process doesn't take that long."

On average, streets in Marquette are repaved every 15 to 20 years.  And according to Whittington, that helps reduce the number of streets that will need total reconstruction, which includes replacing utilities.

"If we don't do these now," Whittington said, "it might end up costing more in the future; especially with the overlays."

Wright and Michigan Streets will be closed for a few more weeks for road reconstruction.

And while detours add a few minutes to a commute, frequent drivers, like EMS technicians at MediRide EMS Incorporated, say city crews have been helpful in getting them across town.

"They'll always get us there," said Tracy Keskimaki.  'It might be that we're going through a construction zone, but the workers are good and they get us through no matter what.  (It's the) same with the fire departments."

The city plans to start one more road reconstruction project this year.  Crews will start reconstructing Champion Street after Labor Day, using Federal Stimulus money.