The northern end of Huddleston Road will be closed from this Friday night to next Monday as workers prepare to shift traffic on Ga. Highway 54 West to the newly constructed northern lanes, officials said.

Also, this week crews will be paving the intersections on Hwy. 54 between Ga. Highway 74 and the intersection of Planterra Way and the entrance to the Wal-Mart and Home Depot shopping center.

Additional delays are expected with the change, and motorists are strongly encouraged to take an alternate route if possible. The road is being widened from two to four lanes in a project that's due to be finished by summer 2006.

Traffic will be shifted to the new bridge crossing the CSX Railroad Friday. Most of the repaving work will take place during the evening hours, officials said.

Huddleston Road has already been affected by the road widening, as westbound traffic on Hwy. 54 can't turn left onto Huddleston. Detour signs were posted so motorists could go down Ga. Highway 74 to Paschall Road to reach Huddleston.

Drivers are asked to use extreme caution in the area as work on the widening project continues.