It's no secret that the stretch of I-20 between Covington and Morgan County hasn't been in the best condition for a few years. So we've got some news for you, both good and bad.

First, let's have the good news. The state has signed a contract to have both the eastbound and westbound sides of the interstate resurfaced.

The project will start on Sept. 6 and is expected to take a full year.

That leads us to the bad news. If past experiences on other road construction hold true to form, you can expect major inconvenience and delays. Alas, progress does not come without some pain.

Back to the good news - there is another option. There are back roads and highways to be used, and while they might have a lower speed limit than an interstate, they won't be bogged down by construction.

We might suggest that if you don't know where they are that you might spend the next weekend mapping out a new route for your commute.

Take the time to plan for the construction - you'll be glad you did when you aren't sitting in gridlock.