If there's ever the kind of situation that drives taxpayers to distraction, it's this.

The city has confirmed that even after construction on the St. Clair streetcar right of way from Yonge to Keele is finished, residents and merchants will still have to endure another year of traffic chaos.

The reason? Once the three year-long project is completed, hydro crews will move in and rip everything up again, to install a series of badly need poles.

The T.T.C. part of the project is slated to be finished in 2009. The hydro mess, which will run from Yonge to Bathurst, will extend that to 2010.

Merchants and those trying to park in front of their stores have been vigorously protesting the non-stop nuisance. Some claim they've lost a substantial amount of business to the big build up, while some long time residents swear they're so fed up, they're considering moving out of the neighbourhood.

"Stupid. Waste of money. Waste of my tax dollars," complains store owner Paula Williams. "The money they are spending on this project could have been used for better things."

"I think it's terrible," condemns Clive Levitt, as he attempts to cycle through all the roadblocks. "I mean they should have coordinated to have hydro install their lines at the same time as they are digging up the road."

Sonya Rosenblatt wants someone to pay for the damage to her vehicle. "It's ruining my car because it's going to hurt the suspension when I go across here, so it's either winter or it's construction. So it's kind of annoying."

The decision to remove the poles was made in July.

That's left just about everyone wondering the obvious: why can't it all be done at once?

"We didn't have the council approval or the budget for that work at that time," explains the city's David Crichton.

That does little to placate Williams, who doesn't believe her business will still be around by the time all the tumult is over. "I will be gone by then," she laments. "Gone, gone."

The cost of both projects will also likely annoy taxpayers. It's expected to run as high as $95 million.

And that's only if it gets to that point.

The St. Clair right of way has been controversial from the start and a pet project of Mayor David Miller. Both of his main opponents in the November 13th vote, Jane Pitfield and Stephen LeDrew, are against the project and have vowed to stop it if they're elected.

Which means the only thing certain for those along St. Clair is more uncertainty.

To see the construction schedule, click here.