A portion of Jefferson Street will continue to be closed while Mississippi Valley Gas Company crews reroute a gas line which stands in the way of a city sewage project.

Natchez Water Works crews have been working on the section of Jefferson between Commerce and Wall streets for almost two weeks, forcing the city to reroute traffic around the construction. Current roadwork is limited to the block of Jefferson from North Pearl Street to Wall Street.

While replacing grout-filled sewage lines in the area, the water works crews stumbled upon a gas line running alongside the old sewage line.

Jerry Moore, Mississippi Valley Gas Company manager, said work should be completed on the gas line within the next two weeks.

Once the gas line is safely out of the water crew’s way, work can resume on replacing the sewage line, assistant city engineer David Atkins said.

&uot;The second you open ground in this town, it’s a toss of the coin as to what you’ll find,&uot; Atkins said.

&uot;I know the people have been patient.&uot;