Warm weather in Iowa, anywhere really, means road construction — and lots of it.

There’s going to be that and then some in the Ames-Iowa State area over the rapidly approaching summer. Improvements will be the name of the game.

Jerry Byg, a municipal engineer for the city, said the city will be loaded with construction projects making it difficult for traffic.

“Basically, you’re not going to be able to get into or around Ames very easily this summer,” he said. “There will be times when people won’t be able to get down certain streets.”

The revamping of the intersection of Lincoln Way and South Duff Avenue will play a major part in traffic problems. Turn lanes and new signals will be added to the intersection this summer. The intersection is nearly always laced with traffic.

In addition, an alternative route to Lincoln Way will be closed since Airport Road from Sam’s Club to Riverside Drive is being made into a four-lane highway, Byg said.

Dates for many of the city’s construction projects haven’t been set yet.

City officials hope to finish these and other projects by the time ISU students return in the fall. That may not be possible, but “the asphalt plant closes at Thanksgiving,” Byg said.

Projects include:

* Hyland Avenue and parts Lincoln Way will be torn up and repaved.

* East 13th Street, west of Dayton Avenue, to Interstate 35 will be repaved.

* East Lincoln Way from South Duff Avenue to the Skunk River will be resurfaced.

* Beedle Drive to Thackeray Avenue will be resurfaced.

* Riverside Drive from Airport Road to the south for about a half mile will be repaved.

* Elwood Drive from Oakwood Road to the south for about 1,000 feet may be repaved.

* South Lake Drive in the new Iowa State Research Park Subdivision may be paved.

Other projects are pending.

Several on-campus projects are also planned. Two major roads in particular are slated for overhauls.

Rick Fox, campus landscape architect, said Bissell Road, which runs from Pammel Drive to Union Drive, will be resurfaced with an overlay of asphalt. Elsewhere, the access gate located at the intersection of Union Drive and Morrill Road will be removed.

Union Drive will be resurfaced from the gate, east to the Memorial Union parking ramp entrance drive.

Fox said the work on campus likely will be conducted from mid-June to July, but construction dates still needed to be scheduled. The roads likely will be closed while they’re being worked on.

“We would like to complete the work by Aug. 1,” Fox said. ISU officials are working with engineering consultants in Des Moines on the projects

Fox described the work as “a maintenance project designed to extend the life of the roads as long as possible.” He said reconstruction of a road is “very expensive,” and will require “rebuilding it from the ground up.”