MONROE — A mall means shoppers, and shoppers mean lots of traffic.

In other words, while plenty of folks will be happy that Monroe’s new outlet mall is marking its grand opening Aug. 6-9, drivers along the orange-barrel zone on Interstate 75 may be grumpy.

Cincinnati Premium Outlets is prepared to welcome thousands of visitors on the first day, according to Chelsea Property Group officials, developers of the mall near Ohio 63. Merchants and police are getting ready for headaches.

“Initially, it’ll be crazy, so people won’t want to fight the traffic,” said Riley Griffiths, the owner of Riley’s Furniture Gallery in Monroe. “When the roads get done, it will be wonderful.”

Monroe police Chief Greg Homer said plans call for eight officers from the city as well as deputies from the Warren County Sheriff’s Office to be on traffic duty.

Meanwhile, road construction continues in the area. The Ohio Department of Transportation is working on the ramp on Ohio 63 and anticipates completion by early 2010.

Work on the interchange began in the spring and is designed to replace the overpass, increase capacity and allow for continuous traffic flow on Ohio 63. It’s part of ODOT’s $98.8 million I-75 widening and reconstruction project, running from Cincinnati-Dayton Road in Butler County to the Middletown line in Warren County.

The entire project is expected to be complete in June 2011, according to ODOT.

“The majority of the work ... should be completed by the end of this construction season, which is around October or November depending how the weather holds,” said Sharon Smigielski, an ODOT spokeswoman.

Nevertheless, some local businesses have been working to make driving as smooth as possible.

“ODOT has allowed us to put up some alternative route signage on our property to help direct people essentially away from Ohio 63 towards Middletown and the I-75 interchange at that point,” said Greg Dove, president of Levin Associates, which owns Treasure Aisles — formerly Turtle Creek Flea Market — on North Garver Road in Monroe.