The five center lanes at the Woodbury Toll Plaza along Interstate-87 were closed Monday for a construction project that will last until May.

The renovation will create four new E-ZPass Express lanes, which will allow vehicles to pass through the plaza at 65 miles per hour. The project has been in the works since 2006 and is designed to speed up travel near the popular shopping outlets.

Residents worry the lane closures will cause heavy traffic jams over the next eight weeks while construction is in process. New York State Thruway officials say, though the construction period will be rough, the end will justify the means.