If you’ve driven on streets in and around downtown Salisbury lately, you know  some of them are undergoing a makeover.

The N.C. Department of Transportation has contracted with Thompson Arthur Paving and Construction Co. to repave Long and East Innes streets.

For Long Street, it’s the first resurfacing since the mid-1990s.

After being milled — or, stripped of the old asphalt — the roads are getting a new layer of asphalt. The asphalt removed from the road will be recycled and used in another project, Department of Transportation officials say.

A good portion of Long Street runs through East Spencer, and town officials said recently that, despite the slight delays the work will cause traffic, they are delighted to have it done.

Another plus: the last time Long Street was paved, manholes were covered. Stripping the road uncovered them, and crews are making sure they stay that way this time around.