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Soon, the delays on East Johnson Street will no longer be construction-related.

The eight-month reconstruction project on a mile-long stretch of the major route in and out of downtown Madison is scheduled to end on Wednesday.

Final paving should be completed by Friday or Saturday and pavement markings will be applied starting Monday, said Tom Mohr of the city traffic engineering department.

The end of the project should come as a relief for motorists who use the stretch between Butler and Baldwin streets in their commute and owners of businesses along the route. Traffic was reduced to one lane and the city predicted heavy increases in volume per open lane through the area.

The stretch of East Johnson being reconstructed sees an average of between 15,000 and 20,000 vehicles per weekday, according to the city, enough to be classified as a principal arterial road.

Painting of bike boxes and crosswalks will be done next spring, Mohr said, and grassy areas may need improvements after the winter because sod is being installed so late in the year.