“There is light at the end of the tunnel, kind of a pun there,” SR 99 project administrator Joe Hedges told KIRO Radio Wednesday with a snicker.

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Hedges revised the Seattle tunnel’s opening date, but this time it’s in the public’s favor.

Hedges said the plan is to have the tunnel open to drivers in January 2019, about two months earlier than the last forecast.

“We’re working very collaboratively with the City of Seattle as we plan for tunnel open,” he said.

Even if the tunnel opens in January 2019, it will still be more than three years behind the original schedule.

Hedges said the plan is still to start demolition of the Alaskan Way Viaduct as soon as possible after the tunnel opens to drivers. There have been schedules that pushed demolition off for about six months.