HORSEHEADS, N.Y. (WENY) -- If your commute involves driving south on State Route 13 in Horseheads heading towards I-86, you might want to consider taking a different route. A portion of State Route 13 is closed because roadwork began on Monday for a new roundabout. 

The part that's closed is the southbound lane heading towards I-86. (For example, you're heading from Ithaca, and traveling south to Elmira. That lane is closed.) However, the northbound lane is still open, and people coming off the highway heading north can still do so.

The goal of the construction is to make a connector road, which would provide access for truck drivers to get to the Southern Tier Logistics Holding Point area.

While a portion of State Route 13 is closed is an inconvenience to people, it will allow the contractors, employees, and inspectors to work safely, and it'll allow for maintenance to be completed quicker, than if both lanes were open.

Once construction is finished, workers said the new roundabout will improve the flow of traffic.

"You're gonna see a modern roundabout. It'll be larger than the other two on Route 13. So, it'll certainly be able to handle all the truck traffic that's expected to go into the Southern Tier Logistics site," said Public Works Commissioner for Chemung County, Andrew Avery.

For now, a southbound detour guides people to Route 223.

Once the southbound construction is complete, the northbound lane will, in turn, be closed, and Public Works will open a northbound detour.

Construction is expected to last for two weeks.

Officials want to remind drivers to slow down when driving through work zones, be alert, and drive carefully.