NATCHEZ — David Gardner is hoping a few showers won’t rain on a parade of street overlay.

Gardner, Natchez Water Works superintendent, said several city streets scheduled to receive overlay treatment could be delayed due to recent inclement weather.

Streets that have received overlay include Tyler Circle and Reynolds, Shaw and Parker Streets.

Phase two of the street overlay program includes Woodhaven Drive, South Hampton Road, Hurricane Road, Hunter’s Hill Court, Overton Road and North Hampton Road.

In order to apply overlay treatment, Gardner said street surfaces must be dry and at least 55 degrees in temperature so asphalt can bond to the street.

“The main obstacle we’ve faced is the rain,” Gardner said. “Our goal is to get this all done by the end of summer.”

Other factors have contributed to the delay, Gardner noted — “like working around the contractor’s schedule and Spring Pilgrimage.”

Currently, the city has $400,000 budgeted for street overlay.

Last year, the city budgeted $300,000.

Funds for the project came from the Magnolia Bluffs Casino lease payments.

After surveying streets this year, Gardner said more streets needed the treatment.

“When I went and did the inspection, I realized we had a lot of streets that really couldn’t wait a year (to receive overlay),” Gardner said. “That’s why we upped the budget this year.”

When a street receives overlay treatment, Gardner said this simply means a 1.5-inch thick layer of asphalt is applied to the top of the road.

“Like painting a house, it’s just a fresh coat that goes right on top,” he said.

W.E. Blain & Sons, Inc., a highway construction company based aout of Mount Olive, is carrying out the project.

“They assured me it will be done by the early summer, rather than late summer like last year,” Gardner said. “Within next few weeks, we should see progress.”

Once Gardner retires from Natchez Water Works in July, Natchez Public Works Supervisor Justin Dollar will oversee the project.