SALISBURY — The planning has been lengthy, but by the end of March residents could see activity on the Rabbit Road sewer extension and water system upgrade, weather permitting.

At their meeting Monday night, selectmen accepted the $3.9 million construction bid by Albanese Brothers Inc. of Dracut. The Albanese bid was recommended by Public Works Director Don Levesque, and the corresponding contract drew a nod from the town's attorneys.

Townspeople should start to see activity related to the project within 10 days of the Albanese Brothers' receipt of the town's official letter, Levesque said. He estimated that could take place toward the end of March with the arrival of the heavy machinery the contractor will use to tear up the streets and lay both sewer and larger water lines in the area.

Sought for years and planned over the past two years, the project will install about 20,000 feet of sewer lines along Old Elm Street, Rabbit Road and Fanaras Drive, as well as upgrade about 3,000 feet of water lines along the route.

Given the difficulty in attracting new businesses to town without a functioning sewer system in the area, town officials hope the work will be the backbone of an economic revival in the Fanaras Industrial Park and the new industrial park to be built by Vaughn Corporation President James Vaughn.

The new park is located behind Vaughn's water heater manufacturing company on Old Elm Street. According to the conditions of approval, Vaughn will contribute $100,000 to the cost of the water main upgrade, Selectman Jerry Klima said.

With the onset of the project imminent, the value of the industrial property along Fanaras Drive has already begun to increase and change hands, according to records at the Salisbury assessor's office. Additionally, a Newburyport business — Packaging Specialties — hopes to move to the area, if negotiations on a tax-deferment agreement can be worked out with local and state officials.

Officials, who have searched for state and federal grant money to offset the cost of the project, have already been given a $1 million grant from the Massachusetts Opportunity Relocation and Expansion (MORE) Jobs Capital program. In January, officials also announced the town qualified for a state-backed 2 percent -interest loan to pay for the upgrading of the water system. The town will have 20 years to pay it back.

Town officials are still looking for other grants, in hopes of reducing the betterment fees residents and businesses in the area will have to pay to cover whatever grants don't fund.

"Our goal is to subsidize as much of (this project) as we can get, if not all of it," Town Manager Neil Harrington said.

Completion time for the entire project is 500 days, Levesque said, with the water upgrade planned for completion within the first 100 days.

Albanese's $3,876,041 bid was one of 13 bids the town received and lower than the $5 million estimated for the job by Weston and Sampson Engineers, the designers of the town's project. Albanese is a large firm, Levesque said, with considerable experience in this type of construction.

According to Levesque, the slowdown of the economy might be a reason why most of the bids were lower than projected.

"The bidding climate right now is good," Levesque said. "Timing is everything, and this is a good time. I'm happy."