Motorists can expect delays on two of Darwin’s most popular thoroughfares over the coming weeks, with roadworks to upgrade Daly Street and Lakeside Drive beginning yesterday.

Sections of Daly Street in Darwin City will be closed until May 28 during the roadworks, which will take place at night between 7pm and 5am up to six nights a week.

The $3.7 million beautification project, funded by Darwin Council, will involve planting an avenue of trees along the median and verge to create a “greener, more attractive and user-friendly entry to the city”.

Due to be completed in June, the project includes road and footpath repairs and reconstruction, landscaping and lighting, CCTV relocation and road resurfacing.

Upgrades to Lakeside Drive in Alawa, a high-flow traffic thoroughfare which is utilised by 6000 vehicles daily, also began this week.

The project, jointly-funded by Darwin Council and the Australian Government’s Roads to Recovery Program, involves resurfacing the road and upgrading pedestrian and bicycle crossing points.

Darwin Council Mayor Kon Vatskalis said upgrades for final stage of the project, from Stasinowsky Street to Dripstone Road Roundabout, are expected to be completed by September.

“It hasn’t been upgraded in 30 years and this is the right time to do it, it needed a facelift,” he said.