BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- If you have driven down Stockdale Highway you may have noticed it takes a little longer to get where you are going.

A $3.5 million road widening project in both east- and westbound lanes from Real Road to California Avenue is well under way, causing a traffic nightmare.

"Once we get finished, Stockdale Highway will be three lanes in each direction where it was previously two lanes," said Rick Millwee, construction superintendent for the city of Bakersfield.

For now it has been narrowed down to one lane in both directions.

To drive a few blocks is taking commuters 20 or more minutes. Jessica Williams, an employee of Sundance Tanning in the Stockdale Fashion Plaza, said the construction roadblock is putting a dent in sales.

"People want to come in and tan on their lunch breaks. They will call and cancel an appointment because it's taken them just an hour to get through the traffic, so by the time they get here they have to be back at work," she said.

Marilyn Townes found out Friday how difficult it is for the disabled to get around the construction. She tried to cross two intersections on her motorized scooter only to find she couldn't because the asphalt was torn up.

"I think that they forgot that there are people who do walk across the street or need to wheelchair to cross the street," she said.

Millwee said the disabled are not forgotten. The intersection at California Avenue and Stockdale Highway is still accessible.

"We do our best to accommodate them during this process but what we are doing in the process of this roadway is also completely upgrading and bringing to the new Americans With Disabilities Act standards in those ramps and things that accommodate those that are disabled," said Millwee.

Construction should ease up by Thanksgiving when the second lane is back in service. The project is expected to be complete by February 2010.