The city of Cumming is hoping to give a gift to local businesses in time for the holiday shopping season.

During their council meeting Tuesday night, city officials approved moving forward on a project to resurface Market Place Boulevard with some financial help from the state transportation department.

The project will repave the bustling retail corridor from Buford Dam Road to Hwy. 20, or about two-thirds of a mile.

“That projected cost was a little over $300,000, but the Department of Transportation ... their portion would be about $174,000,” said Cumming Mayor H. Ford Gravitt. “So the city will have to [take] out of contingency for the balance."

Assistant City Administrator Steve Bennett said the city sought federal money for the project, but the transportation department “offered to give us some help on it.”

The city and DOT will work together on the contract.

Bennett hopes the work will be finished before the end of the year, if not much sooner.

He said the city doesn’t want to disrupt merchants along the corridor.

During construction, lanes will be kept open to make sure there’s access to all businesses on both sides of the road.

“Once they get in there and get the milling done, they just have to pave it," he said. "The total project would take two weeks, I would think.

“We want to get this done. We’re going to shoot for before Thanksgiving for [the businesses], before people really get started on their [holiday] shopping.”