Get ready for a traffic jam.

Work on Brookhaven’s one-way street project will officially begin next week. Once the changes are made, traffic should flow better and more parking will be made available.

But getting there may be hectic.

Construction crews will start Monday. Cherokee Street and the Depot parking lot will be closed at 6 p.m. Tuesday and all day Wednesday.

Railroad Avenue from Chickasaw Street to Monticello Street and the north parking lot from State Bank to The Inez will be closed Wednesday at 6 p.m. and all day Thursday, April 13.

Whitworth Avenue from Chickasw street to Monticello Street and the south parking lot from the Gardner Group law office to Brookhaven ENT will be closed Thursday, April 13, at 6 p.m. and all day Friday, April 14.

Once work is completed, traffic will re-open with one-way traffic on Whitworth and Railroad avenues.

There will likely be drivers who attempt to drive the wrong direction on those one-way streets. There might even be a few fender-benders. We’re certain the city would appreciate everyone’s patience while drivers get familiar with the new system.

Making matters worse from a traffic standpoint is the closure of the railroad crossing in the middle of downtown. Hopefully, that work is completed before the one-way project gets started.

Either way, just be patient and pay attention on your first few trips down those one-way streets.