Cessnock City Council is planning to widen Gingers Lane, upgrade pavement and install turning lanes into the estates at a cost of $4 million while the roundabout on Government and Hart roads will also be formalised, costing $1.5 million.

Gingers Lane, which has been accepted as the preferred access to the Hunter Expressway from Cessnock, is set to be closed in four sequential stages with detours introduced.

Council said each section is expected to take up to 16 weeks and the works have been scheduled over a 12-month period.

While residents are pleased for the upgrades, they fear it could be a repeat of the Frame Drive debacle, which has been ongoing for more than five years.

"There are kids four and five-years-old who have never known what it's like not to have major roadworks outside their house," Gingers Lane Community Group member Rob Martin said.

"We don't trust their ability to deliver the project on time and on budget.

"If they get it done in the time frame, the majority of people will probably not be overly upset.

"But Frame Drive has been completed at a rate of 40 metres per month. Based on those calculations it will take four and a half years."

A council spokesperson said construction under live traffic had been the most challenging aspect of the Frame Drive project, which is now in the final stages and is due for completion next month.

Related: Frame Drive bridge open to traffic

"Constructing the new road under live traffic has meant that each side of the road is constructed in separate stages in order to minimise impacts on property access and maintain a safe traffic lane," the spokesperson said.

"Council experienced significant delays when undertaking power relocation. Most recently Ausgrid announced a stop on all live works."

But Mr Martin, who has international project management experience, believed those issues should have been sorted out before the project started.

"Hunter Water and Ausgrid are being blamed for the delay," he said. "They had to raise power poles - they should have done that before they started. Council should take some responsibility."

Council said completing Gingers Lane under live traffic would add 26 weeks and approximately $1.13 million to the project.

But Mr Martin pointed out the M1 Pacific Motorway upgrade at Beresfield was completed by a Roads and Maritime Services contractor under heavy traffic in less than a year.

Related: More work to improve Frame Drive

"If the road is state funded, why is it not being done by contractors?" Mr Martin said. "The state government should take it over and get it done.

"If they shut the road it will add just over three hours per week in road time for my family."

Residents' fears were also compounded after finding out incidentally five days ahead of a council meeting that council was set to vote on a motion to consider traffic management options for the Gingers Lane project.

"There had been no consultation with us," Mr Martin said.

In the meeting, councillor Rod Doherty said he was "disappointed" there had been no consultation.

But councillor Di Fitzgibbon responded saying councillors had been briefed on a plan, which will be put to residents.

"You can't go to the community unless you've got a plan," she said. "At least now when we go with a plan you have an opportunity to put your view forward and maybe we can include any concerns that you may raise."

The council spokesperson confirmed that the community had only been consulted after the council meeting in relation to the preferred option.

"This has included mails outs, establishment of a community newsletter and numerous community drop in sessions at the Weston Civic Centre," the spokesperson said.

Related: Push for action on Weston's crash corner

"Council has also been working with a community group of residents living in the vicinity of the works and will continue to do so as the project progresses."

The residents group has agreed to monthly meetings with council.

"We want to keep them to account for their timeframes," Mr Martin said. "The information we are receiving has been inconsistent."

The Gingers Lane project was adopted in June as part of council's Operational Plan for 2019/20.

"Council has been advocating and working to secure funds for the intersection and upgrade of Gingers Lane following the opening of Frame Drive Bridge in 2017 due to the changed traffic conditions with it being a connector road to and from the Hunter Expressway," the spokesperson said.

"The NSW Government responded to council's calls for support and awarded council funding under the Fixing Country Roads Program."

Council has received an "in-principle commitment" from RMS to fund the roundabout. Mr Martin raised concerns that council had not yet secured all of the funding despite preliminary works having already started.