One of the busiest intersections in town is getting a makeover, all without making any substantive changes for the motoring public.

Crews are busy this week pushing new conduit beneath Ninth and Iowa streets — piping to protect underground wiring for new traffic signals to be installed this spring.

New galvanized poles will replace the intersection’s existing “very old, and steel and rusting” poles, said David Woosley, the city’s traffic engineer. The project also will include new signals, and the intersection’s controller also will be relocated.

But don’t expect any major differences for traffic at the intersection, which carries about 39,000 vehicles per day.

“It won’t change anything at the intersection, other than new items up in the air,” Woosley said. “It will still operate as it has before. We’re not adding any new lanes or anything.”