What was once a wooded area will soon be a new road and new homes.

Construction should begin soon to extend Barrington Drive in Oak Harbor to Fairhaven Drive.

The Oak Harbor City Council recently approved a $1.15 million contract with Krieg Construction to complete the project that includes a two-lane road, sidewalks and traffic calming measures. Barrington Drive currently ends at the intersection with Erie Street.

City Engineer Eric Johnston said once the road is finished, it will help relieve traffic on Highway 20 near the intersection with Swantown Road.

He said the connecting road will also shorten the walk from the neighborhood near Fairhaven Drive to downtown.

Once the road is complete, motorists can expect more traffic on Barrington Drive.

The project is being funded by traffic impact fees and a federal transportation grant. Extending Barrington Drive adds another east-west arterial for the city, which was identified as a need back in 1997.

Johnston said the road work will begin within the next month and will take six to eight months to complete.

Workers recently have been clearing trees from a hill next to the current end of Barrington Drive. This is to make room for a 23-home development that will be placed on the north side of the new road. The project is called Barrington Heights and it is being developed by Carl Freund.

Johnston said the only connection between the two projects is they are next to each other. Access to the new development will be from Fleet Street.