LEXINGTON, S.C. — Construction will soon begin on one of Lexington's most congested roads and will take about a year to complete.
The Town of Lexington has been trying to fix traffic congestion over the past few years, especially around North Lake Drive.
Elizabeth Murray, who works in Lexington, knows how troublesome the road can be.
"I actually have to drive this way all the time," said Murray. "I actually go down by Mission Lexington because the traffic by the elementary and middle school is so bad. It's backed up all the time."
The portion of North Lake Drive near Lexington Elementary School has been a problem for drivers, but changes are on the way.
Murray is hopeful the changes made by the Town of Lexington will make a big difference.
"I hope that the commute goes down for people so that people can spend more time with their friends and family and less time on the road," explained Murray.
Laurin Barnes, who works with the Town of Lexington, said the construction that is about to begin is the second phase of the project. Recently crews have been working on utilities under the road so they can get ready for the road work.
The road currently goes from a two-lane road to one-lane. The Town of Lexington is working to add an additional lane to this portion of North Lake Drive. Dreher Street will be closed off and a traffic light will be installed.
Barnes said they've focused on this area for awhile.
"Basically it just backs up and traffic has nowhere to go, so we'll be fixing that problem by making it two-lanes outbound all the way," said Barnes.
Construction has also been going on at Lexington Elementary right off the road.
Lexington One says they're making changes to the school due to the project. It will be completed once the town finishes their portion of the project.
Barnes said they're working on ways to help limit impacts on traffic from the construction.
"There will be some impacts but we will also be doing work at night. There will be lane shifts but we'll do whatever we can to basically minimize the traffic impact," explained Barnes.
Murray said she's happy to see the Town of Lexington working to resolve the issue on North Lake Drive.
"I think it will help a lot. I know when they changed the traffic patterns here in town, it took a while for people to get used to the way the flow was," said Murray. "So I think once people know what to expect, it will help a lot."
This road project will be paid by the hospitality tax. The project is currently up for bid, and once construction starts it will taken about a year to complete.