A portion of Hastie Lake Road will be closed for several weeks this summer to improve visibility in an area with a history of traffic accidents.

A stretch of road along Hastie Lake east of Zylstra Road will be lowered to allow west-going drivers to better see oncoming traffic, according to Public Works Director Bill Oakes.

Construction is expected to begin June 30, with the road closure starting July 7.

Oakes said the crew will need to be completed with the work by Aug. 15, but may finish early.

Drivers accustomed to reaching State Highway 20 via Hastie Lake Road will need to take an alternate route during construction, such as Libbey and Fort Nugent roads.

This contract was awarded to SRV Construction of Oak Harbor for $780,255 last week.

In addition to improving sight distance at the intersection, the project will include the installation of “Stop Ahead” pavement markers, rumble strips and blinking stop signs.

The money hails from a federal safety program, which selected the intersection for improvements because it saw an accident a year over a five-year period, according to Oakes.