BEIJING, June 27 -- A face-lift of Beijing's main drag, Chang'an Ave, ahead of the APEC Leaders Summit in November, got underway on Thursday.

Repairs started on a 6.88 km section of the 46 kilometer avenue on Thursday night and will not affect traffic as all construction is done at night, according to the municipal commission of transport.

The avenue passes through the political districts of Beijing, with the main offices of China's leadership quartered along the street, including Zhongnanhai, the seat of central government. The last overhaul of the avenue was 12 years ago.

Repairs will deal with subsistence and cracked sections on the road, which will be repaved. Pedestrian sidewalks will also be refurbished before the end of September.

The APEC Leaders Summit is Beijing's most important event since the the 2008 Olympic Games. The main venue of the meeting is under construction in the rural district of Huairou.