SACKETS HARBOR — The Hamilton Street stormwater sewer project has finally begun.

Construction crews began tearing up Hamilton Street earlier this week as a precursor to laying the pipe for the stormwater sewer project.

The project will alleviate or eliminate flooding problems stemming from heavy rains and spring thaws for houses and businesses along East Main, Monroe and Hamilton streets and Dodge Avenue.

"Hopefully, we shouldn't have any issues again in that area," Mayor Michael R. Kinnie said.

In November, the village bought 5 acres off Mercedes Lane for a retention pond at the beginning of the stormwater sewer pipe. The pond will catch water running toward the corner of Main and Monroe streets and send it down a 36-inch pipe to Black River Bay.

On Dec. 3, former state Sen. James W. Wright, R-Watertown, announced a $500,000 grant for the project. Seven months later, the village finally received notice the grant had been approved by the state.

In May, the village opened bids for the project. W.D. Malone Trucking & Excavating, Hannibal, had the low bid of $455,065. But the village had to wait until July to award the contract, which was after the original 45-day signing period.

The entire project will cost about $801,000. After the state grant, the local share will be about $301,000. The village will pay about $40,500 to improve the sewer line and $87,750 to improve the water line along Hamilton Street, which will be paid from the sewer and water accounts.

The village has spent or will spend $112,000 on land purchase, paving, sidewalk installation, landscaping and engineering and technical services. Some of the village work will not be done during this fiscal year, allowing the cost to be spread out over several years.

Developer Harold R. Cring also is helping the project as he works on his 60-lot development, Sackets Meadows. Mr. Cring is creating the retention pond and a stormwater line from his development, installing streetlights on Mercedes Lane and turning an incomplete retention pond off Mercedes Lane into green space. Mr. Cring also will kick in $60,750 toward the project. Other costs for the project are in contingency.

The project will ease strain on the village's sewer system during the spring. Much of the unabsorbed rain and snowmelt infiltrate the sanitary sewer mains and then cause the sewer system to release some untreated sewage into Lake Ontario.

"We plan on it being done by the winter," Mr. Kinnie said. "Therefore, it will be done before the rainy season next spring."