YOUNGSTOWN — Sections of two downtown streets will be closed, starting Wednesday, for about two-and-a-half weeks as part of an ongoing improvement project.

West Federal Street between Market and Phelps streets will be closed to through traffic though local traffic will be maintained.

Also, Phelps Street between West Federal and Boardman streets will be closed to all vehicular traffic during the work.

The work being done is the construction of concrete sidewalks.

Portions of West Federal Street have been closed since January leading to several business owners located on the road to complain about the project as it has kept people from coming downtown and hurt their operations.

The sections that need the sidewalk work were opened for the city’s holiday parade last Friday. The city had planned to close them again in order to finish.