Downtown road projects could cause headaches this weekend. (And Hertel Avenue will be no bargain.)

And starting this week, it will mean plenty of changes downtown and one very temporary – and celebratory – closing in North Buffalo.

Three of the road projects are being handled by three different government entities.

Construction began Tuesday that closed the off-ramp from eastbound Route 5 to the northbound I-190 and Seneca Street so the state Department of Transportation can paint bridges there. The closing is expected to last two to three weeks. The signal timing at Church Street has been modified to handle the added traffic volume. Motorists should follow the posted detours.

The Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority started construction Thursday near the 400 block of Main Street and Church Street.

Motorists should avoid the area while work crews replace the rail, track bed and wiring between Church and Mohawk Street. The project will also include the installation of a new double crossover track, which will make future service interruptions less disruptive to passengers, improving safety and overall efficiency, the transit authority said.

This construction is a part of the state funded multimillion-dollar project to improve the infrastructure of the Metro Rail system.

Future work will include updates to track beds near Humboldt Hospital Station, and renovations to Church Street Station.

Detours will be in place starting Monday on Elmwood Avenue and Allen Street and last through August to allow for traffic updates to the intersection.

The timing of the closure was selected to reduce the impact to the public in the hope by being complete before school is back in session in September, according to the City of Buffalo.

Detour signs and electric message boards will be placed at the intersection to guide drivers on the suggested detours they can…