LAKE PLACID — Construction crews were busy this week paving Main Street from the post office to Saranac Avenue, but it will be up to Mother Nature as to when the one-way detour ends. That’s because the pavement needs paint before two-way traffic can return.

“We need to stripe it with state-approved epoxy paint versus water-based paint,” Mayor Art Devlin told village trustees Monday during their regular board meeting. “So that’s going to be the kicker because, as you know, Friday is forecasted to be a chance of rain.”

Main Street is a state highway — Route 86 — and that’s why they need state-approved paint, and they can’t paint in the rain.

“If Friday is sunny and nice, the guy can come and we’re done. But if we can’t, we’ve got to keep the detour up so that we have it for next week,” Devlin said.

The Main Street reconstruction project began in the spring of 2021 and was expected to take more than two years. However, crews were able to finish the work — including the replacement of the main water and laterals to properties along the route — in two seasons.

While business owners may not want to hear that the one-way detour will stay up until next week, the mayor said, “We’re still lucky we didn’t go into next year.”

Two-way traffic was restored over the winter while construction was on pause and during July and August last year and this year for the busiest tourism months; however, crews continued working on parking lots and sidewalks in the summer with the goal of shortening the overall construction timeline.

This year, the one-way detour stretched from the top of Mill Hill at the intersection of state Routes 73 and 86 to the bottom of Saranac Avenue. Plus, a one-way detour was placed on Parkside Drive — from the post office to Morningside Drive — in the spring and since work resumed after Labor Day.

Crews paved Main Street from Mill Hill to the post office last week.