KITCHENER — The scene was like the setup for a joke: How many politicians does it take to open a section of road?

There was no punchline, but plenty of laughter, cheers and even high fives as a key downtown Kitchener intersection finally reopened to traffic.

City, regional, provincial and federal politicians gathered on Friday afternoon to celebrate the completed King Street grade separation — a major milestone and crucial piece of Ion construction.

"It seemed like just yesterday we closed this road," said Waterloo Region Coun. Tom Galloway to hearty laughter from the crowd gathered for the occasion.

King Street from Victoria Street to Moore Avenue has been closed since summer 2015 to build a rail bridge and underpass to allow King Street traffic including light rail trains to move uninterrupted under the railway.

"This is the last piece of major infrastructure to be completed and opened to traffic," said Galloway, who is on the rapid transit steering committee.

Vehicles quickly reclaimed the stretch of road, drivers honking, waving and giving thumbs up to the people lining the street. One man yelled from his vehicle: "Hallelujah!"

The grade separation had long been planned, but Ion construction pushed it ahead, said Regional Chair Ken Seiling.

"This is a very special day for us all," he said during brief remarks before the politicians and GrandLinq workers hauled away the construction pylons blocking the roadway and officially reopened the section.

Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic said this was one of the most significant parts of the light rail project. Reopening the stretch will reconnect neighbourhoods and Kitchener and Waterloo, and further support local businesses.

"This is tremendous," Vrbanovic said.

He also pointed to the development along the light rail line in the area that's dramatically changing the city's skyline.

"It really feels like a significant urban centre now," Vrbanovic said.

Grand River Transit buses will return to the stretch of King in September.

Trains are expected to start running on the 19-kilometre track from Conestoga Mall in Waterloo to Fairview Park mall in Kitchener early next year.

The Ion trains and system will soon be tested as construction nears completion. Final paving operations are ongoing along the Ion route, expected to be completed this summer.

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Planning is now underway on the route for the second phase from Kitchener into Cambridge.

Oh, and how many politicians does it take to reopen a road? Eleven.