Motorists should plan to continue to dodge orange road construction barrels in Abilene's city boundaries in the coming months.

Abilene has about $2.5 million of street and sidewalk construction under contract, while anticipating having another $5 million of work under contract by "spring of next year," City Engineer Cody Marshall said.

"Next year is shaping up to be a busy year for street construction," Marshall said, starting in the winter months.

While it doesn't have as much money for local projects as in the past, the Texas Department of Transportation's Abilene district is continuing with roadwork, including moving toward completion of a $22.7 million interchange on South 1st Street at Arnold Boulevard and a $4.6 million project to reconstruct Military Drive from Dyess Air Force Base to FM Road 3438.