Contractors involved with the University Drive reconstruction project held their last scheduled meeting Thursday with plans to open the mile-long section for full use no later than Wednesday.

There will be one more temporary traffic switch, likely today, as the outside lanes of the five-lane section will be used for north and south traffic. This will allow United Rentals to finish the final striping of the center section.

Traffic signals may also be put to use today, though limited to red and yellow flashing lights. Full use of the signals at Denver and Wachter avenues won't happen until all the traffic delineators are removed and vehicles have full use of all the lanes.

"There is still some construction to be done on minor things and we're still seeding and putting in some sod and will be pulling some poles," Northern Improvement's Bruce Thompson said. "During this time, motorists should be aware there will be some temporary lane closures."

It's been a relatively problem-free project, according to Thompson. The only out-of-the ordinary aspect is perhaps the mother duck who decided to build a nest and lay her eggs on the wrong side of the road, opposite the storm sewer ditch to which she eventually made her way with two ducklings and a little human help.

While it was a wetter-than-usual summer, the rains did little to slow the reconstruction, and the $2.7 million project is being completed well before the Oct. 21 deadline.

Street lights adjacent to the project have been tested and are being used. A walk-through of the sewer system still needs to be conducted, but the improvements seem to be functioning well, moving runoff to the storm sewer ditch just west of the road. An additional section of asphalt walking path now connects to 12th Street.

The North Dakota Department of Transportation's Adrian Fesser explained that this year's project was the second segment of the University Drive/Highway 1804 reconstruction. In 2003, the project completed the five-lane section running from 12th Street south to Angus Drive. In 2007, the portion from Angus Drive to the University of Mary will be rebuilt into a five-lane section resembling the rest of the project.

Fesser said this year's project saw few change orders and remained within budget. Eventually, the bike path which runs just south of Burleigh Avenue will be extended all the way to the university. This, Fesser said, will be done following completion of the road work.

Current speed limits on the reconstruction project are 25 mph. When the road is opened to full use the speed limit will be 35 mph. The speed limit increases to 45 mph just south of the intersection of Airport Road and University Drive, and just south of the Bismarck Municipal Airport the speed limit becomes 55 mph.

(Reach reporter Gordon Weixel at 250-8255 or gordon.weixel@;bismarcktribune.com.)