ATLANTA — Drivers in Midtown should prepare for significant delays as emergency sewer replacement work gets underway this week near one of the city’s busiest intersections.

Crews with the Atlanta Department of Watershed Management will begin installing new sewer pipes Wednesday morning around the intersection of Piedmont Avenue Northeast and 10th Street. The work, which runs from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, is expected to last through late October.

Watershed Management Commissioner Greg Eyerly said the project is federally mandated after repeated sewage overflows in the area. “We’re actually required to do this work by the federal government by a specific date,” Eyerly said. “The existing pipe that’s there is 12 inches, and we’re upsizing that to 18 and then also a 24-inch diameter pipe.”

The upgrades are aimed at preventing sewage from backing up during heavy rainstorms, but they will come at the cost of lane reductions, closed intersections, and lost parking in Midtown.

“We’re going to get restricted down to one lane at times and you won’t be able to park there,” Eyerly said. “We’re trying to limit the amount of closure and potentially open up the lanes for traffic as we can.”

The timing of the project could also add to congestion for major events. The Shaky Knees Festival kicks off this weekend at Piedmont Park, drawing thousands of visitors to the area.

“There’s really no good time to go in there, it’s a very busy area with a lot of events,” Eyerly said. “This is kind of our only window to really get in there.”

City officials urge drivers to avoid the area around Piedmont and 10th whenever possible and plan for extra travel time in the weeks ahead.

WSB’s Steve Summers contributed to this story