If last year’s waterline replacement project in the 600 block of Massachusetts Street tried your patience, get ready for twice as much fun this summer.

The replacement of aging waterlines in downtown Lawrence may be necessary, but it certainly won’t be fun, especially for people who own businesses in the 700 and 800 blocks of Massachusetts.

A story in Saturday’s Journal-World seemed to indicate that business owners were being philosophical about the project that will tear up Massachusetts Street and block traffic from May through October. But, make no mistake, no amount of special promotions or sales events will make up for the revenue businesses will lose as a result of the inconvenience created by the waterline construction.

Vehicle traffic will be reduced to one lane in each direction for long periods, and parking will be severely limited. Even if it is completed on schedule, the project will overlap with the start of the fall semester and three or four home football games at Kansas University.

The lost revenue experienced by businesses as well as the inconvenience experienced by any motorist who ventures downtown should provide ample incentive for city officials to make sure this project is completed as quickly and efficiently as possible. Chris Stewart, acting director of the city utilities department, has indicated that a meeting will be scheduled in early May to answer business owners’ questions and a city inspector will be on site daily to deal with concerns from businesses and visitors.

That’s a good step, but it’s pretty obvious that the No. 1 concern of businesses along these two blocks is that this project gets completed as quickly as possible.

Lawrence city commissioners were scheduled Tuesday night to approve April 11 as the date to open bids for the project. Construction is set to begin May 22 and end by Oct. 6. City officials always should be looking for the lowest bid, but special consideration also should be given to the contractors’ plans to ensure this project is completed on or ahead of schedule. Especially if the weather doesn’t cooperate, that could mean scheduling more overtime or adding crews to work on nights and weekends.

Aided by favorable weather conditions, contractors were able to complete the work in the 600 block of Massachusetts and along Sixth Street in relatively efficient fashion last summer. Even if everything goes smoothly, this summer’s project is likely to take twice as long. City officials should do what they can to make sure it takes no longer than absolutely necessary.