The Magnificent Mile is about to become $1 million more magnificent.

The city began repaving and repairing potholes on a mile-long stretch of road last Wednesday. Construction will last until mid-November.

A majority of the project covers North Michigan Avenue from Illinois Street to Oak Street, which costs about $900,000 and is paid for with state funding. The remaining section runs along Inner Lake Shore Drive from Oak Street to Division Street. Ald. Brendan Reilly (42nd) funded this 0.2-mile stretch, which costs about $180,000, from his ward’s discretionary budget.

The city will close one to two lanes in each direction during construction. Brian Steele, spokesman for the Chicago Department of Transportation, said the section from Ontario Street to Oak Street will close first.

Steele said this project has been on the CDOT schedule since April and is no different from the dozens of other projects the department completes each year.

One Chicago resident said the upgrade is overdue.

“It’s about time they do something,” said Humberto Perez, a janitor at 980 N. Michigan Ave. “I’ve worked here three years and seen no changes.”

Natasha Stringfellow, who works at AllSaints, a clothing store at 700 N. Michigan Ave., said she takes several buses from the West Loop, including the 151 and 147. She said the street looks fine to her.

“I don’t see much wrong with it,” Stringfellow said. “It gets irritating, but if they need to do it, they need to do it.”

Up to nine bus lines run along Michigan Avenue, but the CTA will not reroute them.

Bob Cardenas, who has worked at 980 N. Michigan Ave. for 13 years as a receptionist, also takes the bus.

“It’s important to beautify and fill potholes in millionaire alley, but I hate waiting in traffic,” Cardenas said. “Why not tear it up? When you patch up, it only lasts so long.”

Steele said the concrete sub-base of a street structure is designed to last decades and the asphalt top base intentionally wears down so it can be replaced. Many cities throughout the United States do this, Steele said, and it’s cheaper to do that than rebuild.

Stringfellow waxed philosophical about the project: “I guess they’re always working in big cities.”