A well-traveled, well-worn section of Gaffney Drive will be closed for two months beginning Sept. 8 while the Watertown Department of Public Works rebuilds the road.

The city of Watertown purchased Gaffney Drive, which stretches from Coffeen Street into Stateway Plaza, from R.F.P. Realty Inc., in May for $86,000.

"We're going to be raising the grade of it," said Engineer Jeff Hammond. "That dip in the lower end of it, we're going to be taking care of that."

Water routinely collects on the road at the base of the hill south of Faichney Drive. The city has installed signs along the road warning motorists to travel at their own risk.

The work will be performed from Faichney Drive to Commerce Park Drive and should cost roughly $200,000, which was awarded to the city as a member item from former Sen. James W. Wright, R-Watertown.

Workers will install a drainage system, which includes storm lines and curbing. Other upgrades will be made to a sewage main that runs under the road, Mr. Hammond said.

"Right now we're doing the one small section," he said. "The other part is planned for later on."

The city will need to make other improvements to the road to bring it into compliance with city standards.

Plans to make Gaffney Drive into a section of a longer north-south connector from Coffeen to Arsenal streets have been debated by city officials since late 2005.

The city's five-year capital budget, which was passed in June, lists the project as being funded during the 2012-13 fiscal year. In 2006, city officials had planned the project for this fiscal year.

DPW crews will install temporary barricades and signs and have flaggers along the road for the duration of the project. Drivers are being asked to find alternate routes.