While it appears that recent progress on the Avenue of the Fountains improvement project has been slow, work remains on schedule.

Town officials say the project will be complete by November’s Fountain Festival, but the median will remain fenced off during the large event.

One of the last things that will be done is the installation of new sod for the median’s turfed areas.

Development Services Director Paul Mood said the new sod will still be fragile and they will need to keep people off it to prevent it from being destroyed.

After construction is complete, the fencing that now encloses the project will be moved back to the curb until it is safe to allow people on the grass.

Mood said he expects the median will be open and accessible by the time of the Stroll in the Glow in early December.

He added, however, that for this year the holiday lighting display will be cut back due to limited access for installation.

Community Services Director Mark Mayer said other fall events will also be impacted by the construction. Those include the annual Halloween celebration and the opening weeks of the Farmers Market/Art on the Avenue activities.

Mayer said details regarding any changes to those events are still in the works.

While progress on the project appears slow at this time, Mood said work is moving forward mostly on schedule.

He said the work through June has been mostly underground where it is not as apparent for those passing by.

Also, workers have been waiting on materials such as concrete blocks with a special surface to complete enclosures for equipment. That work was being done last week.

Over the next few weeks more and more of the work will be coming out of the ground and be more visible, according to Mood.

Landscaping work is on the schedule to take place in August. There was a slight delay in ordering trees awaiting a final decision from the Town Council on whether to change the order. No changes were made.

Verde River Drive south of the Avenue and Paul Nordin Parkway west of the Lexington Hotel entry have been closed while a trench is dug to supply power to the Avenue amenities.

Saguaro Boulevard reconstruction is not expected to begin until December or early next year, which means the November arts fair will likely not be impacted by the Saguaro work.

By the Great Fair in February, however, work may have progressed to create some restrictions for access into the downtown area.