The state Department of Transportation says it's hoping that reconstruction of 27th Street between Drexel and College avenues can begin in two years.

Plans call for the lanes to be widened to 12 feet, with a 5-foot shoulder created to accommodate bicycles.

Several median openings will be moved, closed or modified, project manager Tony Lazcano said. Intersections will also be widened and include new signals.

Some real estate issues still need to be resolved, including negotiations to relocate four buildings, which could impact the start of construction, Lazcano said.

"But right now we're working toward a 2015 construction," Lazcano said.

At one point it appeared work would be delayed to 2017, which prompted a response from Oak Creek officials.

It will be a much longer wait for construction south of Drexel Avenue. DOT officials said work won't begin on that section of 27th Street for another 10 to 15 years. A 2012 study recommended a six-lane road from Drexel Avenue to Elm Road and four lanes south of Elm Road.

Oak Creek and Franklin, which split jurisdiction of the street, have targeted the 27th Street area for redevelopment, though progress has continued to be slow.