After four-and-a-half years of construction, the Ala. Hwy. 55 connector in Georgiana is open.

It was a welcome surprise for holiday travelers northbound from Covington County toward Montgomery.

In October, Rebecca White, public information officer for the Alabama Department of Transportation, said the project was expected to be completed by the first of the year; however, it was completed early.

The project, which has been under way since May 2009, opened on Dec. 19, White said.

The route is the most traveled for locals heading north to the I-65 connector in Georgiana, and for those throughout the nation traveling through Alabama to the Florida beaches.

Star-News archives show the bid for paving the 4.6-mile section of roadway was let in 2011; however, a construction delay was caused by problems with the base layer of asphalt. Cost for the project was estimated between $6.9 million and $8.4 million.