BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- The County Roads Department started a major road construction project on 7th Standard Road that is supposed to improve safety and traffic conditions.

County roads is calling the project one of its biggest construction projects ever.

This phase of the project is going to widen the 5.5-mile stretch of road on 7th Standard road between Coffee and Zachary road. It will go from two lanes to four lanes at a cost of $15.5 million.

The project was paid for using federal and state funds, with a large portions of funds coming from a county bond. The funds used for the project were allocated for road projects in the state.

The federal and state money had to be spent on roads and if Kern County did not use the money another county would have gotten the funds. Just about year ago, the board of supervisors approved a bond measure that helped pave the way for this project.

During its initial construction , drivers in the area are not expected to experience any major delays from the project. Most of the work will be done behind cement barricades off the street, however there will be flag men directing traffic at various locations due to trucks coming in and out of the site.

The first phase of the project was the new bridge at Hwy 99 at 7th Standard Road and Golden State Hwy. That project was completed last year.

This project is expected to be completed by early 2011, and the third and final phase of the project is set to begin in April, which will be a rail road over-crossing bridge at Santa Fe Way.