Horseheads, NY (WENY)-- After over 15 years of designs and getting the necessary approvals, the Route 13 connector road will start getting under construction soon.

The goal is to divert truck traffic that enter the Horseheads Transloading Terminal away from residential areas. To do this, the county is building a new road that will connect Route 13 directly to the entrance of the Facility.

Andy Avery, the Chemung County Public Works Director, says that this is a unique project that the county is undertaking. Both in detail and scope.

"It's a big project, between engineering, inspections, all the construction. Its nearly a 25 million dollar project. So not only unique, but also unique in its cost."

The project will also add multiple new roundabouts; one of the roundabouts will be on Old Ithaca Road, while another will be on Route 13. A new bridge will be build over Newtown Creek, and Avery says they have started levy works.

In addition to the connector road, Avery also says that more work will be done on Old Ithaca Road and Wygant Road, on either end of the HOST Terminal.

"We are doing work on Old Ithaca Road, repaving that road. So a big project. And finally, while its not directly connected to the project corridor, we are doing improvements on Wygant Road at the railroad crossing." Avery said. ". One's a state project to replace the Norfolk Southern railroad crossing, and the other is a county project with the HOST Facility to replace their private crossing across Wygant Road."

Avery says improving the flow of traffic in and out of the HOST, in addition to getting trucks out of residential areas, is the biggest goal of this undertaking.

"Trying to improve the transportation through the area, and get trucks where they are supposed to be, versus residential areas," He says. "Having that connector road will allow them to come from I-86 to Route 13 directly into the HOST Facility without having to go by anybody's house, and I think that's huge for the area."

Avery says the project will take about two years to fully complete. He adds that since they are adding a new road, instead of maintaining an existing road, that closures are not expected on any of the roads in the construction area.