Beginning this morning, the intersection of Liberty, County and East Washington streets will be closing for 45 to 60 days.

The closure will allow for the ongoing construction in the 300 block of East Washington, said Dennis Craff, the city’s communications director.

All westbound traffic will be detoured onto Factory Street, right onto Madison Street, right onto Culloden Street and back to East Washington, Craff said.

Eastbound traffic will follow the same detour in the reverse direction.

Businesses along the 300 block of East Washington may be accessed from Bank Street or Tynes Street, he said.

The East Washington Street Improvements Project, which got underway in April, is the first step in the city’s $10 million Fairgrounds urban redevelopment project. The project calls for building about 150 new homes and enhancing the East Washington Street business district over the next five years

Over the next few months, contractors will be moving utilities underground along East Washington, between Hall Avenue and Liberty Street. They will also be replacing aging water and sewer mains and making additional streetscape improvements, including a new sidewalk, curbing, landscaping and decorative street lighting.

The project should be completed by January 2006.

allison.williams@suffolknewsherald.com