It's a long-awaited day for commuters in and around Edmonton Tuesday, as the province opened a major portion of the northern leg of the Anthony Henday throughout the afternoon.
It's been three years since the sod was first turned on the project.
Drivers had their first taste of the new roadway after 2 p.m. Tuesday.
The 21-kilometre stretch of the Henday between Manning Drive and Yellowhead Trail includes eight interchanges and 27 bridge structures, nearly completing the ring road.
"Sixty-nine kilometres of free-flow [traffic]," MLA Ray Danyluk said, at the opening ceremony for the new road. "No lights around this city."
The interchanges opened in stages, starting with the westbound lanes.
"There is removal of barricades, removal of signs, removal of temporary signs that are there...basically cleaning up each one of these as we go," said Bill van der Meer with Alberta Transportation said of the opening process.
The province says there will still be some delays at Campbell Road for another day or two, but the recent warm weather helped construction move along.
The province says by mid-November the Cameron Heights interchange should be open.
Construction of the northern leg began in fall 2008.
Crews won't begin construction on the final piece of the ring road until next year, and it's expected to be completed in 2016.
With files from Susan Amerongen & Laura Tupper
