WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) – We’re a first full work week into lane closures that are having a significant impact on thousands of people, and there are still months to go.

Despite some frustrations, the state Department of Transportation says they’re keeping a close eye on things.

Crews are monitoring traffic from the air and ground, seeing where they can make adjustments to help ease up congestion.

The NCDOT says a key change has been signal timing, keeping lights green for longer and allowing more cars to move at once.

Drivers are doing their part too, whether that’s finding the best route or adjusting their commute time.

Since Monday, NCDOT says there have been fewer wait times and traffic congestion on the roads, specifically leading onto the Isabel Holmes Bridge.

They say, you should still expect congestion, but every day those wait times are getting shorter.

NCDOT confirmed there was a fender bender near the Isabel Holmes Bridge that shut down a lane for a short time. They say crews responded quickly to keep traffic moving.

There are crews stationed on both sides of the bridge, so if another accident happens they are prepared.

Overall they are happy with the progress made this week and hope it continues.

“We’re still looking at the 421 and Isabel Homes, particularly that intersection, to see if we can add any more tweaks to kind of relieve some of that congestion. But again, generally speaking, we’ve seen a lot of reductions in travel times and wait times. And that’s that’s a very positive thing for us,” NCDOT engineer Trevor Carrol said.

NCDOT says they’re expecting some key materials to be delivered soon, which will help ramp up the project.

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