HAMILTON COUNTY, IN — As spring temperatures rise across central Indiana, so too does the volume of road construction. From expanded interchanges to long-delayed paving projects, city and state officials are warning commuters that the region’s annual “construction season” is now in full swing — and with the state’s growing population, more work is on the horizon.

The transition from winter to warm weather marks the beginning of an intense period of roadwork. For drivers across the region, the effects are already being felt.

“I can tell you it’s certainly not pleasant,” one local driver said about navigating the increasingly congested streets.

“Just going around adds like five to seven minutes to my commute overall," another added.

Officials say weather is one of the biggest challenges to planning and executing infrastructure improvements in Indiana. Harsh winters often halt progress, while summer months offer a short but critical window for projects to advance.

“Unfortunately, our climate is such that we can’t be paving in the wintertime because the temperatures don’t allow it,” said Johnathon Nail, director of public works in Westfield.

Noblesville Mayor Chris Jensen emphasized how quickly cities try to mobilize once asphalt plants reopen and the weather allows for progress.

“As soon as (asphalt plants) do open, we try to strike while the iron's hot and get projects well underway,” Jensen said.

But weather alone isn’t driving the surge in construction. Central Indiana, and Hamilton County in particular, have experienced explosive residential and commercial growth in recent years — and that’s putting added pressure on already-burdened roadways.

“We’re trying to keep up with explosive growth in Westfield, and that takes investment in our infrastructure," Nail said.

The pace of population growth, officials admit, can outstrip their ability to plan and build ahead of time.

“We would love to build and expand all the roads before anyone moves here. That simply isn’t the case," said Jensen.

Even major thoroughfares like U.S. 31, which recently saw improvements, are getting additional upgrades to handle traffic volume.

“That’s a project that will add capacity to the 465-31 interchange there on the north side. We typically wouldn’t come back into an area quite this soon for such a major project," said Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) spokesperson Natalie Garrett.

Residents are mixed in their reactions. Some say they are willing to tolerate the inconvenience for better infrastructure down the line.

“If it leads to long-term payout, I’m okay with it,” one commuter said.

“But if it’s just for, like, a little short-term change that’s not going to last, I’m not exactly a fan.”

Officials say they understand the frustration but stress that planning and execution are being done with future growth in mind. INDOT maintains an updated list of projects across the state, allowing drivers to stay informed and plan accordingly.

For more details on ongoing and upcoming roadwork, visit the INDOT website.

Originally reported by Griffin Gonzaalez in WRTV.