Weeks ago the city of Ceres warned motorists that work on Hatch Road would cause traffic to snarl as of Oct. 1. However, disruptions have been minimal and the heavy work won’t begin for another week or two, said City Manager Doug Dunford.

Hatch Road will be limited to one lane of travel for both directions as construction begins on the installation of a water transmission line from the new surface water project down Hatch Road between Mitchell Road and Moffet Road. The work could extend into next March as the contract calls for 80 working days.

“Hatch Road will become a mess for a while,” City Engineer Michael Beltran told the Ceres Council last month. “That will hamper traffic in in that corridor.”

 “We want to make sure that we can get the pipeline underneath the canal lateral that crosses Hatch Road at Central Avenue, generally done within the first week or two of November.”

According to the city’s website, Hatch Road will become “extremely congested during construction” with land closures, reduced speeds and construction equipment in the road. Work hours will generally be limited to daytime hours.