The summer construction season is in full swing, helping improve roads across Michiana. But for those that drive along a 1.1 mile stretch of Miami Street in South Bend, a major road-widening project is giving drivers a headache. In early May, construction crews tore-up the entire street between Jackson and Kern Roads. Miami Street has now become a bumpy, dusty ride that residents say feels like the wild-wild west. Cars are filthy and patience is growing shorter by the day.

"It's pure misery trying to get through here. I would have assumed they would have torn up half of it and worked on half so where we could drive, but not tear up the entire thing at one time,” longtime neighborhood dweller Donna Zemtmire said.

The $4 million dollar project will improve storm water sewers and flow along the street. Additionally, crews are widening the street from two to four lanes. The project also includes installing five foot sidewalks and tree lawns on both sides of the street. While it may be nice when it’s done, neighbors say for now, it’s also hurting their personal life.

"Many of my friends tell me they aren't going to come see me until the road is done. Even my own son says, ‘I won't see you until the road is done,’” Zemtmire added.

With the road looking different now than in the past, it’s caused some confusion for infrequent visitors.

"We are lost. We tried to go around and figure out how to get to her house and then we couldn't find it,” Ester Karanja and Alice Njoroge of Kenya said as they looked for their friend’s house.

"I was saying we are not in Kenya, we are not in the village. This is what our roads are like at home, but here we are used to the good roads,” Karanja jokingly added.

For residents like Joan Fitt, Miami Street is the only option.

"There are 20 villas on this road and Miami Street is the only way in and out, we don't have a choice."

However, project engineers say their plan was the best choice to make.

"The contractors choose to move it all at once, because it would make it quicker. It also allows them to install the storm sewer at a faster rate,” project engineer Jared Huss said in defense to how crews have tackled the project.

Construction crews expect the road-widening and sewer improvements to be completed by November 15, 2010. The project had to be pushed back two weeks after June's rainy weather hampered construction work.