With a tip of the cap to some fine late season weather, a project engineer said the initial phase of upgrading in the southbound lane of U.S. Highway 83 south of Minot has been completed.

The 13-mile stretch opened for traffic at 4 p.m. Monday. Crews were working on the finishing touches Tuesday, primarily ditch work and striping.

"They are doing seeding and mulching. Most of that has been completed," said Chad Beggs, project engineer for the Minot District of the Department of Transportation. "They are taking down the temporary tubular markers that divided traffic in the northbound lane during construction. Hopefully they'll finish that today (Tuesday) but maybe it'll take until Wednesday."

The construction project began May 26, from just north of Max to the junction of N.D. Highway 37, also known as the six-mile corner leading to the community of Garrison. The scheduled completion date was Oct. 17.

"They were behind schedule a bit. The weather kind of slowed it but, later on, the weather was a lifesafer for the project," said Beggs. "We're quite happy this project came to fruition."

Beggs was referring to a stretch of unseasonably warm and dry weather in November. The additional weeks added to the construction season enabled workers to put down a layer, or "lift," of asphalt prior to the arrival of winter. Bids to add more asphalt to the 13-mile section next year will likely be accepted in February.

"It needs two additional lifts to go on it," explained Beggs. "Now it's kind of a wearing course for the winter. It helps to put one lift on before winter."

In addition to resurfacing, the shoulders of the 13 miles of roadway were widened.

"Now there is a 10-foot shoulder on the outside and four feet on the inside. It's safer," added Beggs.