The transformation of the southern edge of downtown Tampa has started.

From street layouts to sidewalks to lighting, work has started on reforming the street grid to support the redevelopment of the Channelside area.

Crews already have detours set up in the immediate area around Amalie Arena.

Up first: Lane closures on Morgan Street between Brorein Street and Old Water Street for infrastructure and roadway improvements. The northern lane of Channelside Drive is scheduled to close in fall 2016 and reopen in the summer of 2017.

Along the way, the billion dollar project will reshape the Channelside District while adding 11 new traffic signals, resurface 11,229 feer of roadway and add 3,269 feet of additional bike lanes.

In the next two years, the project is slated to add 9 million square feet of new commercial, residential, educational, entertainment, cultural and retail space - including a new University of South Florida medical school.

In the meantime, residents should be prepared for detours, dust and hardhats for at least the next 18 to 24 months.

"I think it may become more of an issue during hockey season," said Josh Galss, who owns the Ginger Beard Coffee shop on Kennedy Blvd. "But not right now because there are so many other ways to get around downtown.  

"There are so many other things, like Coast Bike Shares and all that, you can use the Riverwalk to go downtown, so I don’t think it will be a big issue."