After a summer of construction, east-end Ottawa residents were warned to expect more of the same this fall as road work in preparation for the city's light rail system kicks into high gear.

The LRT project CBC Ottawa is monitoring the LRT's progress with an interactive timeline featuring video, audio, maps and before and after pictures of all 13 stations.

Among the projects expected to lead to a high traffic impact are:

continued work to widen Highway 417 from Nicholas Ave. to east of St. Laurent Blvd.

water main work at Ogilvie Road, Montreal Road and Highway 174.

reconstruction work on Sussex Drive from St. Patrick Street to King Edward Avenue.

Queen Street water main work, which began earlier this month, is also expected to continue into Spring of 2014, as is Orleans water main work along Coventry Road east of the Vanier Parkway.

Delays of at least 20 minutes due to 417 widening

The 417 widening is expected to delay peak hour commutes between Orleans and Ottawa by at least 20 minutes.

The chair of the city's transportation committee, councillor Keith Egli, says it's all growing pains.

"These investments in transit, roads and public buildings will ultimately bring us all to a better place, a truly liveable city," said Egli.

OC Transpo said it will add capacity to and from Orleans by using larger buses on those routes.

Majority of LRT work to come after 2013 This year's construction is a prelude to the expected traffic issues in the next five years as work on the city's $2.13 billion light rail project ramps up. Among the highlights will be when the transitway is taken offline in the east end and converted to a rail line, beginning in 2015, and when similar work to widen Albert and Scott streets leads to the closure of the transitway in 2016. Beginning in 2015 there will intermittent road closures on Queen Street downtown as entry shafts down into the tunnel are dug along the route.

The city will also provide a steady stream of updates for commuters so they can better plan their trips, including the installation of electronic overhead highway signs at 417 eastbound near Parkdale Avenue, 417 westbound near Innes Road and the 174 westbound near Blair Road.

Egli is urging commuters to consider alternative modes of transportation to ease traffic in their region.

"This is an opportunity for everybody to look at alternatives, whether that's getting on the bus, the O-Train, cycling when the weather holds, or some combination," he said.