Rush hour traffic is something almost every commuter in El Paso comes across. It's particularly a problem in the northeast, where construction crews set up shop early this month to replace the pavement.

"They got the intersection closed on there. The overpass, that's closed out," said Bob Moseley, who battles traffic near the Kenworthy Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard intersection every morning.

The intersection has been permanently barricaded since Jan. 6 . Cement barrels decorate all nearby roadways to direct drivers through the many detours.

Construction along the MLK Blvd. is not only causing a headache for drivers, but also poses a problem for emergency crews who have to detour around the area. That can make for longer a response time in some situations.

"Who plans these kind of projects? You know, what's the deal here? There's a school down here. It's terrible," said Moseley.

Traffic on MLK Blvd. is reduced to one lane. Off-duty police officers step in daily to serve as traffic lights, and direct drivers during peak hours.

Wait time may be a few more minutes than some would like it to be as they rush to work or head to school. Some describe the area as a mess. Other drivers say they don't have a problem with the morning traffic they encounter.

"Cops are normally out here doing a good job [of] monitoring traffic, and no, it's not too bad, it's not too bad at all," said Robert Rogers from the northeast.

Currently, commuters trying to cross the Kenworthy and MLK intersection must drive out a mile before making a turnaround. Emergency crews are warned ahead of time by the Texas Department of Transportation regarding all detours and construction around town. Tx-DOT hopes to have this project completed by late February.