Trapped like a Rat

OHMYGOSH! There is major construction taking place on the freeway by my house. I am not talking orange barrels here, I'm talking closed entrance and exit ramps, huge machines, lots of workers, flaggers, closed lanes, flashing arrows, and dust all over the place.
Anywhere I want to go I have to deal with all this mess because we live very very close to the freeway. Not right on it although some of the people in our development are. They must be going nuts.
Two days ago it took me 25 minutes to drive about 3/4 of a mile. Not that I'm in a big hurry or anything. It was just unbelievable.
When I go to work I have to go on the freeway now instead of on the major streets between my house and there. The freeway entrance and exit going west are still open but there is a barrier in the middle and one of the lanes is closed and there are those signs with the wiggly arrows that mean you will end up driving on the makeshift lane that used to be the emergency pull over or the "berm." I never knew what that word meant "berm". I don't know if it is a local word or if everyone uses it.
If I want to go to the post office instead of jumping onto the freeway now I will have to go blocks out of my way and kinda round Robin Hood's barn. I know that is a more familiar phrase but who knew Robin Hood had a barn?? Didn't he live in the woods? Wasn't he like hiding out? Why would you build a barn in the forest if you were in hiding?
If I want to go to the mall, it will take twice as long because the traffic is a mess. Unless I go at 8 a.m. and just wait for the place to open at ten. But that seems a little like a waste.
Plus the dust!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm just saying, it wouldn't surprise me if our whole little area turned brownish gray. Our cars will for sure.....maybe even our bodies. YUK!
I hate being trapped. I have major claustrophobia and this whole situation is making me a little frantic. What if we had to get out of here really fast for some reason? Isn't going to happen. Our little side street has ten times the traffic it had before this project is over and it will probably last all summer.
I will have to bite the bullet and suffer through though and pray for good weather so they finish on time and I can have my freedom back.