A $6.3 million construction project could cause thousands of headaches over the next month.
That is because starting Monday at 10 p.m., a major College Station exit, as you know it, will cease to exist.
It is estimated 61,000 motorists travel in the Rock Prairie area everyday, and for businesses near the construction site, this is not good news.
Camelia Rice usually stays pretty busy, but with construction right outside her window, she fears the worst.
"A lot of our business is gas and if we don't have customers to get in here for gas, I mean we have inside sales, but gas is our business," Rice said.
TxDOT's road construction on South Highway 6 likely means headaches for both motorists and businesses.
"I think we'll slow down a lot," Rice said. "I mean if people can't get here from the highway they're not going to remember to take the Deacon exit to get here."
Crews are expected to first temporarily close the southbound exit ramp to Highway 6 at the intersection of Texas Avenue and Deacon.
They'll then open a new exit ramp near Barron Road and then permanently close the Highway 6 southbound exit ramp to Rock Prairie Road.
"Everyone knows that has travelled there at five in the afternoon that traffic backs up on the main lanes and it gets very congested out there, so what we're trying to do is improve that interchange," Bob Colwell with the Texas Department of Transportation said.
The exit to Rock Prairie will remain closed for about a year and a half.
TxDOT will build a new exit bridge north of the current exit ramp.
In the meantime, TxDOT has signs directing traffic in that area.
"We have changeable message boards up," Colwell said. "We've been informing everybody and we know that it's a little pain for a lot of gain."
The pain may be a lot more for businesses like this one.
"It's going to be slow," Rice said. "I'm going to be all alone."
They're hoping their regulars will brave the construction and keep business flowing.
The Texas Department of Transportation says while the exit to Rock Prairie is closed, motorists should take the previous two exits, which are Emerald Parkway and Deacon.
Officials say this will add less than a mile to your drive.
