 It has been slow and go for traffic over the past three months as road construction along Highway 197 in Bemidji continues. Over the summer, the focus of the project was on sidewalks, curbs and utility work. The final stretch of construction is currently underway with new pavement being laid, which is reducing traffic down to one lane, causing severe backups throughout downtown Bemidji. While the bulk of the road work has been completed, the end of the project is now in sight. You're looking about another week or two left in that. They're in the paving portion. And interestingly enough, when you do construction projects, actually the paving is the fastest to go through. Really what takes so long is when they're doing utility work, sidewalk work, you know, and when you're doing it under construction, it just really delays those projects and pushes them back. For motorists traveling along Highway 197, it's recommended to plan for extra travel time and to pay close attention to the road and traffic signs. If you've enjoyed this segment of Lakeland News, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to Lakeland Public Television.