Two road improvement projects are in the works here, one that would widen an already busy road and the other that would extend a thoroughfare to ease traffic created by new business.

Irwin Simpson Road is being widened for about one mile between Nottingham Way and Charleston View Drive and will cost $4.5 million, according to Bill Becker, the township’s administrator.

The project, which is under way, is expected to be completed by 2014.

It would widen the road from two to three lanes, with two lanes dedicated to driving and one center turn lane, said Eric Reiners, director of public works.

The entire section of roadway will include curb, gutter and storm sewers instead of the open ditch profile that exists today, he said.

“That will help with some of the drainage issues which currently exist along that section of roadway,” Reiners said.

The project is a continuation of an earlier widening, which occurred between Wilkens Boulevard and Nottingham Way in 2010.

As part of the same project, the township also will widen Snider Road south of Irwin Simpson to put a southbound turn lane off of Snider Road and into Cottell Park.

Along the same stretch of roadway, the township will construct sidewalks and bike paths.

“Our overall objective was to improve and enhance not only vehicular safety and traffic, but also pedestrian traffic and connectivity throughout the township,” Reiners said.

To accommodate traffic that will be created by new development south of Deerfield Towne Center, the township will start work on extending Parkway Drive by 600 feet west of Mason-Montgomery Road sometime later this winter or in early spring, Reiners said.

The project, which is still in the preliminary stage, is between one and two years from completion and will eventually be extended west to Wilkens Boulevard.

“We will build the road as they build the structure,” Becker said.

It’s estimated to cost between $1.5 and $2 million in its entirety, he said.

Funding for both projects will come from the township’s tax increment financing fund.

The Parkway Drive extension should take some of the traffic off of Mason-Montgomery and onto Wilkens Boulevard.

“That along with the other improvements to Irwin Simpson should generally improve traffic flow throughout the township,” Becker said.