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As the 2008 construction season comes to a close, local drivers shouldn't expect to see orange barrels disappear with cooler temperatures.

Still, traffic is expected to ease in some parts of West Chester and Liberty townships.

An nearly $100 million project includes adding a lane northbound and southbound to an 11-mile stretch of Interstate 75 in Butler and Warren counties; improvements to several overpasses; repaving and adding additional ramps off the interstate and the installation of a sound barrier from Lesourdsville-West Chester Road to Kyles Station.

Although the project's completion date remains late 2010, two overpasses are scheduled to open this month, according to officials from the Ohio Department of Transportation. The Kyles Station and Princeton Road overpasses are slated to reopen today, Oct. 6, and Oct. 13, respectively, according to ODOT spokeswoman Sharon Smigielski.

Smigielski said that work on I-75 will continue through the winter despite the closure of area asphalt plants in late November or early December.

This next stage of construction will close the southbound I-75 rest area located at mile marker 28 for the next several months. The closest available rest area is located 41 miles to the south on I-75 in Boone County, Ky.

Another major project moving ahead this month is the Liberty Interchange, which will provide an on- and off-ramp from I-75 to Hamilton-Mason Road. Butler County Transportation Improvement District officials have said the completion of the interchange could mean the addition of nearly 10,000 new jobs and more than 600 acres of developable land for the area.

The $15 million project that started in May is scheduled for completion in fall 2009.