GUILDERLAND — Fuller Road will temporarily seem more congested than usual, but, in the long run, it will be safer and smoother to travel, according to Albany County Executive Michael Breslin.

The official groundbreaking of the $13.5 million Fuller Road reconstruction project was on April 1, and the first phase is expected to be complete by November of this year. In addition to reconstructed pavement, new sidewalks and curbing, and improved drainage, the county is chipping in to help the town of Guilderland replace a deteriorating water line.

The first phase includes the .85 mile section of Fuller Road from Western Avenue to Tricentennial Drive, which encompasses much of McKownville. A Guilderland water line runs along that stretch of road, and, according to Supervisor Kenneth Runion, it needs to be replaced.

“This is going to save us money, because there will be no duplication. The county will already have the road open, so we won’t have to duplicate engineering or worry about disturbing any of the new sidewalk later,” Runion said. Partnering with the county to replace the water line will save the town roughly $60,000, Runion said; the other $183,000 will come from the water department’s reserve funds.

“We put money into the reserve funds every year in case something like this comes up,” said Runion. Aside from replacing the water line, the project will make it safer for residents to walk to Stuyvesant Plaza and other businesses on Western Avenue, Runion said.

The work is being done by Rifenberg Construction and design consultant Greenman-Pedersen, Inc.

Mary Duryea, a spokeswoman for Breslin, said Fuller Road is badly in need of repair, and the reconstruction will make the roadway smoother, and traveling easier.

“The work is being done pretty much all day, and people should expect delays, especially during the morning and evening rush hours,” Duryea said.

Alexander Gordon, who represents the Hilltowns in the Albany County Legislature and chairs its public works committee, said that, along with alleviating traffic congestion, the project is environmentally friendly because it will cater to cyclists who could commute to work.

The second phase of the project, slated to begin in April 2011, will run .93 miles from Exit 2 on Interstate 90 to Central Avenue, and will be complete in November 2011. There are additional plans to improve the intersection of Fuller Road and Washington Avenue Extension at a later date.

Albany County is working with the state’s Department of Transportation and the University at Albany’s Nanotech facility, which is located at that intersection, on getting funds for the project.