KEENE, N.H. (MyKeeneNow) Downtown businesses got a clearer picture Wednesday of what to expect over the coming weeks as the City’s Downtown Infrastructure Project moves from planning into active construction.

During the second monthly “Coffee and Hard Hats” meeting at the Transportation Center, Keene Public Works Director Don Lussier said much of the work completed since the inaugural meeting in June has happened behind the scenes, including a pre-construction conference with contractors and engineers and the review of required traffic control plans and other documentation needed before work can begin.

The first visible construction activity will begin Monday, July 13, when Liberty Utilities starts replacing aging cast iron natural gas mains around Central Square before the city’s larger reconstruction project gets underway.

“They want to replace their underground infrastructure while we’re doing this bigger project,” Lussier said. “They’re going to get in, replace their older gas lines and then get out of the way for us.”

Steve Rokes of Liberty Utilities said crews will replace 8-inch cast iron gas mains on both the west and east sides of Central Square, as well as a section of West Street. Work will begin at the Court Street traffic circle before moving south past downtown businesses and around the corner onto West Street toward Roxbury Street.

The utility work is expected to take a little more than three weeks, although Rokes said the schedule could change depending on underground conditions. Crews will generally work weekdays from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., reopening parking spaces at the end of each workday whenever possible.

The project will temporarily eliminate parking along the west side of Central Square in front of several businesses beginning next week, while parking on the north and east sides of the square will remain available during the first phase.

Motorists should also expect temporary closures of the West Street slip lane from Central Square for several days at a time while gas lines are installed. Most other traffic impacts will involve lane shifts rather than full road closures.

Rokes said only one downtown business is expected to experience a temporary gas service interruption during the work because most buildings are served from rear connections. Liberty plans to notify affected businesses directly and maintain an on-site presence throughout construction.

Meanwhile, Casella Construction, the city’s contractor for the $26 million Downtown Infrastructure Project, is preparing to mobilize.

Project superintendent Brian said Casella will establish its staging area in the large gravel lot north of the former railroad coal silos, where crews will begin moving in equipment, drainage materials, pipe, storage containers and a job trailer over the next several weeks.

Lussier said residents shouldn’t expect major visible construction from Casella until early August, describing the initial mobilization as a “soft start.”

Wednesday’s meeting also included an update on a proposed solar pavilion planned for the municipal parking area near the Transportation Center.

Lussier said the concept grew out of discussions between the Conservation Commission and the city’s Energy and Climate Committee, combining the desire for additional downtown trees with renewable energy improvements.

The wood-framed structure would stretch roughly 230 feet and include enough solar panels to generate electricity equivalent to the city’s downtown electrical use for street lighting, public events and other municipal needs. The covered space could also serve as a venue for the farmers market, festivals and community events.

The pavilion is still in the design phase and is expected to be presented to the Municipal Services, Facilities and Infrastructure Committee later this month following a public informational meeting. Lussier said construction would not begin this year, with bidding anticipated this winter and construction potentially taking place next year.

Tree removal and landscaping continued to generate questions from downtown stakeholders.

Lussier acknowledged that some existing trees must be removed because of disease or conflicts with new underground utilities, but said the completed project is expected to include about 40% more trees than currently exist downtown.

“There will be approximately 40 percent more trees downtown,” he said. “The total amount of foliage will be less for a few years because we can’t plant mature trees, but there will ultimately be a net gain.”

City officials said they are working to better communicate which trees will be removed and plan to make landscape plans, tree analyses and planting information more easily available to the public.

Business owners also asked about the possibility of utility outages during construction. Lussier said no planned electrical outages are expected because most buildings receive power from side streets and rear connections.

The city plans to provide about a week’s notice before any planned water service interruptions, with door hangers distributed at least three days in advance. While Spectrum is not replacing infrastructure as part of the project, officials acknowledged there remains some risk of accidental damage to telecommunications lines because some underground facilities are not well documented.

Lussier again encouraged businesses and property owners to sign up for the city’s Downtown Infrastructure Project email list, which will provide weekly updates on construction schedules, traffic changes and anticipated impacts throughout the multi-year project.

The next Coffee and Hard Hats meeting is scheduled for 9 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 12. If construction is sufficiently underway, Lussier said he hopes to hold the meeting outdoors in Central Square so attendees can view the work firsthand.