The State Highway Administration will close two lanes on Baltimore Avenue from College Avenue (by The Bagel Place) to University Boulevard (by the bowling alley), starting on Feb. 18, with an estimated finish date of Nov. 30., slowing traffic through one of the Route 1 corridor’s main areas.

Most work will be done between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m.

The state will close either both southbound or both northbound lanes at various times, squeezing traffic going both ways through the one-and-a-half mile segment of the Route 1 corridor into the other lanes.

The closures are needed so that a contractor for Washington Gas can relocate natural gas pipelines as part of a broader project to improve Route 1.

Unfortunately, the headache won’t be over in November. Other parts of the $40 million road improvement project are expected to cause delays for at least the next six years, though state and university officials are trying to find ways to speed up construction.

When it’s done, the road will be wider, with a raised median and better sidewalks and bike paths. Safety measures will also be added, helping address the recent issues with pedestrians being hit by cars.