For people coming into and out of downtown Rochester using East Avenue there will be a big change beginning Monday.
Construction on the project that involves eliminating a portion of the Inner Loop resumes today with the start of work to remove the East Avenue Bridge.
That means a small section of East Ave will be closed between Pitkin and North Union Streets for about three months. City officials tried to time this to minimize the impact, it was done after Saturday's St. Patrick's Day Parade and they plan to get that section of East Avenue reopened before the jazz festival in late June.
Recommended detours will be marked, and City Engineer Jim McIntosh says he is not anticipating this construction to cause major delays in that area.
"I think after the first couple of days I think people will either find an alternate route if it's not their direct route, or the traffic will kind of work itself out."
The suggested detours are:
•Eastbound motorists will detour via Broad Street: From East Avenue, turn right on Pitkin Street; left on Broad Street, left on North Union Street; and right on East Avenue.
•Westbound motorists will detour via Charlotte Street: From East Avenue, turn right on North Union Street; left on Charlotte Street; left on Pitkin Street; and right on East Avenue.
McIntosh also says traffic signal timing will be adjusted in that area to help drivers. He says the contractor is hoping to get 80 percent of the work on the Inner Loop project done by the end of this year, and wrap up the remaining construction next year.
