PROVIDENCE — The city is spending close to $2 million over the rest of the year to pave pockmarked city streets, starting with parts of the East Side and Upper South Providence.

The paving operations got under way last week with projects on a stretch of Gaspee Street from Francis Street to Smith Street; Wickenden Street from Gano Street to Governor Street; and portions of Dudley Street.

That $350,000 in paving work was conducted by the Narragansett Improvement Co., and Public Works Director John Nickelson said it was excellent work. It was paid for from city capital funds, Nickelson said.

“Take a drive over there, you’ll be very impressed, they did a nice job,” he said.

The next slate of projects, which are receiving approvals now, will repave stretches of the East Side, including portions of Angell Street from Benefit Street to Prospect Street, and Waterman Avenue from North Main Street to Benefit Street.

The city will also repave a 1,000-foot stretch of Butler Avenue, between Angell Street and Blackstone Boulevard.

Several small areas of Westminster Street and Plainfield Street, near Olneyville, are also to be paved. This group of projects should cost roughly $500,000, Nickelson said.

The largest projects will come on the South Side and in Mount Pleasant. A 1-mile stretch of Public Street, between Eddy Street and Broad Street, will be repaved, as will a half-mile of Mount Pleasant Avenue, between Atwells Avenue and Chalkstone Boulevard.

Together, those projects will cost $1 million, Nickelson said. The money comes from federal transportation dollars earmarked for local paving by U.S. Sen. Jack Reed, he said.

These projects could continue into October and November, Nickelson said.

He said the city assesses the roadways through a computer-assisted Pavement Management System that catalogs cracks, depressions and bumps in the city’s roadways and compares them with traffic patterns to determine where the greatest need lies.

Of course, city officials know when a road really needs attention soon, even if the computer doesn’t list it as a priority.

“We exercise our discretion as well, it’s not all computerized,” Nickelson said.

Next on the paving agenda, probably next year, are parts of Broadway between Dean Street and Olneyville, and the rest of Butler Street, from Pitman Street to Angell Street.

dbarbari@projo.com