KEENE, N.H. (MyKeeneNow) Drivers and pedestrians traveling through downtown Keene should expect several changes next week as work continues on the city’s Central Square construction project.

Beginning Monday, motorists leaving Court Street for Central Square will face a new detour. Southbound traffic on Court Street will be directed onto School Street before turning left onto West Street.

The detour comes as Liberty Utilities continues work to tie newly installed gas infrastructure into the existing utility network on the western and southern sides of Central Square. That work is expected to continue throughout the coming week.

Casella Construction is also scheduled to begin exploratory excavation Monday at several key utility connection points around the square. Crews will investigate locations where Court, Washington, Roxbury and West streets connect with Central Square.

Initially, the excavation will occur inside the traffic-control area already established for Liberty Utilities’ work, meaning motorists are not expected to see major changes. As crews move into the Washington and Roxbury street areas, however, additional flaggers and coned-off work zones will be put in place.

Drivers should also begin seeing more permanent-looking construction signage around the project area next week. The signs are designed to make it clear to motorists unfamiliar with Keene that they are entering an active construction zone.

Those signs will be supplemented by temporary, movable signage that can be repositioned as construction activities shift from one location to another.

Another visible change will come later in the week when tree removal is expected to begin, tentatively on Wednesday or Thursday.

The work will temporarily affect pedestrian travel in areas where trees are being removed. Crews will also lower branches onto sidewalks during the operation, creating additional short-term impacts for people walking through the area.

City officials said the schedule remains subject to change as construction progresses.

Questions about the downtown project can be directed to Downtown Project Ombudsman George Downing at (603) 757-2105 or gdowning@keenenh.gov. Residents can also contact Public Works Director Don Lussier at (603) 352-6550.