A construction zone will be in place this week on U.S. Highway 281 South from Key Avenue south to the Burnet County line in preparation for a project that includes two traffic signals and an improved intersection at the new Lampasas High School campus.

Work on the first phase of the project should have a minimal impact on traffic, according to Texas Department of Transportation officials. Construction workers will be off the roadway preparing the entrance to Hancock Park as well as driveways and widening a culvert.

One traffic signal will be installed at the intersection of U.S. Highways 190 and 281 at the Hancock Park entrance. The lane configuration at the intersection will not change appreciably, but the signal should improve traffic flow, said the TxDOT official.

"With the increase in traffic expected with the opening of the new high school, safety is the numberone priority," the spokesman continued.

"The new signal and the improved intersection should help make the transition easier."

The intersection at the new LHS campus will be enhanced to a five-lane section of roadway with 12-foot lanes and four-foot shoulders. It will have a southbound deceleration lane into the school entrance, protected left-turn signals for northbound vehicles, and a right-turn-only signal for southbound traffic exiting the school property.

The construction zone will have a 60 mph speed limit for the duration of the project.

"The safety of the traveling public is our main focus," said Tom Dahl, area engineer for TxDOT. "We will have construction workers and equipment in the area, so a reduction of the speed limit is certainly warranted."

Traffic fines double in a construction zone when workers are present. Motorists are urged to slow down and obey warning signs. Work is expected to take about six months to complete.