By ADAM ATKINSON

CANTON -- Long waits at the Route 11 bridge over the Grasse River will soon be over as the state’s rehabilitation of the span mostly winds down this week.

Michael Flick, state Department of Transportation spokesman, said Tuesday that all four bridge lanes are expected to be open the majority of the time starting Friday, Sept. 28.

Flick said motorists should still expect occasional, short-term shoulder or lane closures to allow for final work items to be completed.

“The repairs made should extend the service life of the bridges for decades,” Flick said. “These types of projects allow us to do a comprehensive rehabilitation of a bridge when the substructure and superstructure may be worn, but with a little love, still have plenty of life left in them.”

The Route 3 bridge in Saranac Lake that was part of the same overall project contract for rehabilitation will be also re-open tomorrow.

“Overall, we are happy with the outcome of work at both locations and expect these bridges to be in service for a good long time,” Flick said.

While final project costs won’t be available until the work is officially completed and the paperwork finalized, Flick said the rehab will finish “pretty close to the contract award of just over $3 million.”

The project was funded with 80 percent federal funds and 20 percent state funds.

Workers spent the spring and summer removing and replacing the bridge’s concrete surface and replacing the curb and sidewalk. New lighting was installed on the bridge and armor joints were replaced and bridge bearings rehabilitated.

Motorists not wanting to encounter potentially long waits as traffic was directed across the two lanes left open during construction on the bridge sere forced to circumnavigate the project site by crossing the Grasse River in Morley and south of Canton on Miner Street Road.

Average traffic in downtown Canton on Main Street/Route 11 averages close to 20,000 vehicles a day, according to figures from the DOT released in 2017.