A major infrastructure project in east Windsor is set to resume after an environmental delay.

The Banwell Road interchange and corridor construction projects were put on hold following the discovery of Butler’s gartersnakes, and most recently Reversed Haploa Moth. Both of which are endangered species.

Stacey McGuire, executive director of engineering, says the city is currently working on the permits needed to minimize the harm to species at risk.

“We’ve been collecting any of the snakes that we found on site and relocating them to a new location so that they can thrive,” McGuire said.

“Following that we will clear the vegetation. We’ve already got snakes fence up so that the snakes don’t make their way back in to the construction site.”

The nearly $100-million upgrades are needed to help accommodate traffic flow once the NextStar Energy electric vehicle battery plant becomes fully operational.

The city is seeing between 10,000-14,000 vehicles a day travelling through the corridor, however when the EV battery plant opens, that’s expected to surge to 25,000.

McGuire says the construction tender was awarded to GIP Paving Inc.

“People will see in the coming weeks that we’re going to start clearing some more vegetation, some of it has already been done, but we’re going to work towards clearing some more vegetation, mobilizing on site, and we’ll see the major construction work starting over the next several weeks,” she said.

McGuire says the work is expected to be completed over two full construction seasons.

“That includes the interchange at Banwell and E.C. Row, but it also includes the widening of Banwell from E.C. Row Expressway all the way to the city limit where it’s going to meet up with the word that the county just recently completed,” McGuire said.

McGuire says Banwell and E.C. row are expected to remain open during construction but limited closures and detours were likely.