All we ask is a little patience, please. For the next several weeks, months probably, streets throughout the city of Troy will be undergoing much-needed resurfacing, thanks to a $661,000 project funded by the City of Troy. Work begins today on George Wallace Drive, and that road will be closed for two weeks between Ray and Second avenues as sewer and street repairs are completed.

These are just the beginning of a long list of road projects, all prompted by a comprehensive study conducted by Watkins Engingeering in 2009. At the time, the consultants evaluated each of our city’s streets from best to worst. Then, they went back and flagged the “worst of the worst.”

And that’s where these road projects are starting.

The street repairs eventually will encompass many of our well-trafficked streets: Corman Avenue, Cowart Circle, Curry Circle, Floyd Street, George Wallace Drive, Gibbs Street, Moulton Court, Pecan Street, Pell Avenue, Saint Paul Street, Segars Street, South Franklin Street, Spradley Drive and Warren Court, Brookwood Drive, Creek Stand Road, Cross Circle, Crow Hill Road, McPherson Drive, Monticello Drive, Mountain Brook Lane, Orion Street, Sara Drive, Vicki Lane and East Hodges Street. And they will no doubt cause traffic delays and confusion for many drivers.

So we ask for patience throughout the process. And we ask you to focus on the final results: improved infrastructure and streets for our city.

So as you make your travel plans to a from work, or running errands or simply visiting friends, keep in mind that our streets are undergoing massive repairs and build in an extra 10 minutes, just in case. A little patience and proper planning will pay off. More important, please be considerate to the other drivers and to the workers out there …it’s the least we can do.