AMARILLO, TEXAS -- Drivers may want to start looking for alternate routes to avoid all the construction that's beginning this week at the 3rd and Grand overpass site.

Construction and traffic officials got things started Monday morning. And it's going to get a lot worse before it starts to get better.

For years, cars trying to get past one of the trains that frequently stop at that intersection have had to wait until the tracks are clear to get through. While they still have to put up with trains drivers can now add construction to the growing list of delays at 3rd and Grand.

Monday morning traffic signals were turned off, 4-way stop signs went up, and beginning Tuesday traffic will share two lanes north and south.

"And we're going to go ahead and build the entire bridge in stage one and then shift two lanes of traffic over onto the bridge. Even after we get the bridge open, it's still just going to be two lanes of traffic, so for the next 18 months, it's going to be two lanes of traffic on Grand," said City Engineer, Martin Rodin.

On top of that, dirt to build up the 27 foot high structure will have to be trucked in compounding construction. That along with keeping the dirt dry and environmental concerns due to a former refinery at the site will only complicate matters.

"And because of that refinery, all the dirt moved from this area has to go through a special filtering process, which is in itself going to be a huge undertaking that will complicate the construction process," said Paul Braun spokesman for TxDOT.

Despite all that, the projected finish date is about a year and a half out with completion set for March 2012. However if all goes well, it could wrap up before that.