Traffic on one of the busiest roads in Erie County is about to come to a crawl as the final phase of the Kenmore Avenue reconstruction project gets underway next week.
Over the past two construction seasons, Kenmore Avenue has been repaved between Elmwood Avenue and Fairfield. But the third and final phase between Fairfield by the former Budwey's Supermarket and Main Street involves a lot more work.
Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz says the nearly one-mile stretch is going to undergo major changes.
"The sidewalks will be moved. The streetscape will be changed. This is a large project," Poloncarz said Wednesday.
Poloncarz says on average about 16,000 vehicles a day travel Kenmore Avenue, making it one of the most heavily trafficked roads in the county.
"It's going to be even tougher to traverse when the construction vehicles are going down and grinding down the current roadway," Poloncarz said.
The project's cost is just over $7 million, most of which is being picked up by the federal government.
Work is expected to be wrapped up by the fall.