-- The busy Jeff Road-U.S. 72 intersection is finally back open following

.

Huntsville Director of Urban Development Shane Davis said SJ&L General Contractors removed the barricades Tuesday, allowing motorists on U.S. 72 to once again go north on Jeff Road. The intersection had been closed since Sept. 29 to add new turn lanes and eliminate a hill.

to widen Jeff Road to five lanes from the U.S. 72 intersection to just past 18 Watercress Green apartments -- a distance of about half a mile. The company is also widening the U.S. 72-Slaughter Road intersection directly across from Jeff Road.

Jeff Road is an essential part of the daily commute for many residents of Monrovia, Harvest and west Huntsville.

Davis said the intersection closure lasted longer than planned because of soaking rains that delayed paving. With traffic now flowing on the new outside lanes, crews from SJ&L have turned their attention to digging up and rebuilding the old two-lane portion of Jeff Road.

"The remaining paving should be completed in the next couple of weeks," Davis said this morning, and "the entire project should be completed by mid-November."

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