The intersection at Atlantic Avenue and Hicks Street in Brooklyn was hectic Saturday as a major closure on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway disrupted traffic.

The closure began Saturday at 2 a.m. All lanes on the Queens-bound BQE between Atlantic Avenue and Sands Street were closed. On the Staten Island-bound BQE, only one lane was open to traffic.

Residents told NY1 the area gets congested, even when there isn’t a construction project underway.

“I just think the Department of Transportation has done a really bad job at maintaining and like, regulating the traffic that’s around in this area,” said resident Samantha Muscato, who was aware the closures would be in effect throughout the weekend.

The closures are for the Department of Transportation to complete work that local officials say is vital.

“The Department of Transportation identified a couple of portions of the triple cantilever that were in need of urgent, immediate repairs,” said Brooklyn Councilmember Lincoln Restler. “We’ve tried to encourage everybody in the neighborhood, everyone across Brooklyn, not to drive this weekend for everybody who doesn’t need to. But this work is very much necessary.”

This weekend, the work will focus on new concrete and reinforcing steel bars being added at spans on the BQE near Clark Street and Grace Court.

“I’m hoping now that they’re doing some work on it, that maybe it’ll actually get a little better. But I’m not looking all that hopeful,” Muscato said.

The closure is in effect until Monday at 4 a.m.