LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) – Anyone who drives on the south end of Kaliste Saloom Road or E. Broussard Road knows how the traffic can back up.

The Lafayette Consolidated Government is about to start a project aimed at relieving congestion. LCG District 8 Councilwoman Liz Hebert says the work is needed.

“This area of town is just booming. People are moving out here. There’s developments moving our here. People are gravitating more to this area,” Hebert said.

LCG Public Works Director Mark Dubroc said the plan is to widen Kaliste Saloom from Ambassador Caffery Parkway to Cue Road, which is just past E. Broussard.

It will be five lanes, just like the section between Ambassador Caffery to Pinhook.

“I would say easily this Kaliste Saloom Road project was needed 20 years ago,” Dubroc said.

The traffic light at Kaliste Saloom and E. Broussard will be removed. In its place – crews will install a roundabout at Kaliste Saloom, E. Broussard, and Cue Road.

Weather permitting work on this phase of the project will begin later this month. But this project actually started back in 2011. The first two phases laid the groundwork.

Crews installed new drainage pipes in phase one – completed in 2013.

“It was pipe systems that are going to receive the new drainage from this section of roadway, or these sections of roadway, and take it basically to the Vermilion,” Dubroc said.

Phase two – the relocation of water and sewer lines – wrapped up in 2015.

“I think everyone’s going to be really excited when the cones start coming out cause that means progress is coming,” Hebert said.

“Construction is going to be inconvenient but there’s always going to have two lane road access at all times so we hope to not be too inconvenienced by it.”

The entire project has a $36 million price tag. It should take about two and-a-half years to finish.