PORT ORCHARD — A well-worn, but busy section of State Route 16 between Gorst and Port Orchard will soon receive a facelift from the Washington State Department of Transportation.

Starting Monday, April 16, contractor crews will begin a $1.9 million asphalt preservation project in which the left lanes in both directions between Gorst and Southeast Burley Olalla Road will be repaved. The work will repair more than 11 miles of highway that now show cracks, wheel ruts and asphalt patches.

Miles Resources, a WSDOT contractor, will do most of the repair work at night when traffic volumes are lower. Drivers will encounter nighttime, single-lane closures starting as early as 9 p.m. and lasting no later than 6 a.m. during paving operations, a WSDOT news release stated.

Short-term ramp closures also will be required overnight at each ramp between Southeast Burley Olalla Road and Bay Street (SR 166). WSDOT said each closure will be announced as they are scheduled.

According to WSDOT officials, the work is expected to be completed by this fall. Doug Adamson, a department spokesman, said some areas of the highway have not been paved for the past 15 years. He said the project will extend the life of the highway and provide a smoother ride for the 60,000 to 75,000 vehicles that travel through this area each day.