The City of Edmonton expects to open Walterdale Hill Road a month ahead of schedule.
The road, which was closed in May so crews could work on the bridge, could be open by late next week.
Many Edmontonians said they were pleased with the news.
“Business has been pretty slow,” Mandy Goudie, who works at the Running Room, told CTV News.
She also said that despite living in the area, the construction work had been disrupting her commute.
“At rush hour it can take me 35 minutes.”
Thea Kachuk agreed.
“It is a pain to get over here,” she said, adding her family tried to avoid the area.
Mayor Don Iveson said he knew it had been frustrating for drivers and was happy to hear things were moving along.
“I am just glad that people are going to be able to get down that hill again because it has definitely backed up traffic.”
When the road does reopen drivers will notice a road alignment change.
Walterdale Hill will meet up with Queen Elizabeth Park Road at a new intersection then turn west towards the current bridge.
Officials had originally planned to reopen Walterdale Hill in August.
Construction on the new bridge began in January, 2013 and has been expected to be finished by late 2015.
With files from Sarah Richter
