(ABC 6 New) – Officials from the City of Owatonna and Steele County said the East Side Corridor highway project is going to significantly decrease commute times for people.

Steele County Engineer Paul Sponholz is the man spearheading the project with assistance from the city of Owatonna. He said the overall goal of the new road is to limit traffic in downtown Owatonna because it’s becoming too congested.

“We need to be able to get that traffic out of those streets. We have truck traffic on Shady Avenue or Crestview Lane, roads that are not designed for through traffic.”

Sponholz will have to pass the torch for the project to a new county engineer because he decided to take a new job in Cottage Grove due to what he claims was a decision led by family.

The county has worked closely with the city on the project and Owatonna public works director, Sean Murphy said the project makes commuting much easier for people.

“It adds less traffic stops, it adds in quicker commutes to certain destinations on the north or south side of town depending on which way you’re coming into town,” Murphy said.

ABC 6 News spoke to homeowners in the North Branch Neighborhood in Owatonna on Thursday. Matthew Sennott who has a backyard where the road would run through said he understands the need for the project but wishes the city and county would move it about 600 – 700 feet from where it’s planned to go.

“The biggest concerns obviously would be the safety and the noise, you know we’ve got kids everywhere back here,” Sennott said. “I’ve got four kids myself.”

ABC 6 returned to the neighborhood on Friday afternoon.

Brian Deml is one homeowner who lives on the opposite side of the road from where the project will go and he said he is in support of the project because it would be easier for him to travel for his HVAC company.

“We definetly reach out all over town as far as our business, service, installation, all of that so getting from one side of town is very important,” Deml said.

Several homeowners did not answer their door on Friday.

The county has a webpage with more information on the project, and residents against the project also have a webpage of their own stating their case.