Roadworks on State Highway 1 near Mosgiel that began yesterday are expected to disrupt traffic for another 10-12 days.
New Zealand Transport Agency area manager for coastal Otago Roger Bailey said new asphalt was being laid on the highway around the Mosgiel interchange and past the Kinmont Park suburb.
The first job was to level and seal the off-ramp for vehicles turning from the highway into Mosgiel.
That should be completed today.
Then tomorrow, "all going well", work should begin on the southbound lane from about the start of the off-ramp and stretching for about a kilometre.
The north-bound lane would be next and then the on-ramp from Mosgiel to the highway.
"It's going to cause a bit of a challenge in terms of managing the traffic flows," Mr Bailey said.
Detours would be posted.
He suggested local motorists might like to consider their own alternative route.
"Some may choose to use Three Mile Hill as a better option for them.
"Some may choose to hop off the motorway at Fairfield and use the old main road."
The road was being sealed with a "high-strength, open-graded, porous asphalt" which replaces chip seal.
"It's a highly stressed piece of road and it will hopefully handle that wear and tear better.
"It will provide a better friction for car tyres," Mr Bailey said. "It will reduce the amount of spray and hopefully it will reduce the noise through that area as well."
The area had always been a "relatively sensitive" area for traffic noise, he said.
"This should be quite a plus for the local residents through Kinmont."
The new asphalt should also solve the problem of the road "bleeding" in high temperatures.
"We're not quite in time to stop it doing a wee bit of bleeding this year but we hope that it'll put that problem to rest."
The contractor is Downer EDI and the cost of the work is $450,000.