HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- Huntsville's busy Jeff Road-U.S. 72 West intersection could re-open early next week.

Josh Chandler, operations manager with SJ&L General Contractors, said he's rooting for the rain to stay away this weekend so the company can begin paving the new lanes on Jeff Road. If the ground dries out, he said, the asphalt machine could begin rolling Tuesday.

"We've had it ready about three different times to get the asphalt on, and it's rained every time," Chandler said Thursday.

Jeff Road has been closed since Sept. 29 from the corner of U.S. 72 to Watercress Boulevard, disrupting the daily commute for hundreds of drivers in the Harvest-Monrovia area. Nance Road and Providence Main Street have been designated as detour routes.

The city originally announced Jeff Road would be closed for five days to make the intersection upgrades. The closing was extended twice -- until Oct. 8 and then Oct. 10 -- due to inclement weather. The last update from the city engineering department said the road would remain closed until further notice.

Once the paving is finished, Chapman said, vehicles will be traveling on the new outer lanes. Crews from SJ&L will then rip up the old lanes and rebuild then to match the grade of the new lanes, he said.

Huntsville is paying SJ&L $2.1 million to widen Jeff Road to five lanes around the new Kroger supermarket, Texas Roadhouse and 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.

"If the weather holds up, we should be done with everything by Thanksgiving," said Chandler.

SJ&L started work in April 2011 with an estimated completion date of that December, but the project was delayed for several months as utilities were moved.

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