In uptown Charlotte, roads are being roughed up and smoothed out, and drivers like Chris Billups are taking notice.

“Lots of them are a long time overdue,” Billups said. “(I) kind of think the Democratic National Convention probably inspired it.”

For the past two months, paving crews have given a facelift to parts of a dozen streets inside the Interstate 277 loop.  The city moved up the timetable for some of the work to get it done before the convention comes to town.

“We want to be able to get the resurfacing done early so that it won't interfere with any of the activities at that time,” said Doreen Szymanski with CDOT.

There's also work going on below ground.  A number of utility companies are upgrading pipes and wires and equipment underneath the road surface.

Included in that work is the addition of new fiber lines that will play a big role in keeping communications going for the city, the convention and the thousands of people who will come to Charlotte for it.

The city is also launching a new website to keep people who live and work in uptown in the loop about issues related to both the DNC and other big events that come after it.

For Charlotte, the benefits of all the upgrades should be long-lasting.

But right now, it's the roads and the asphalt that remain most visible and most talked about.

“It's an upgrade so we're glad to have it,” driver Brian Boone said. “But in the meantime, it’s a little bit of a hassle.”