All lanes of Buffalo Speedway between Bissonnet Street and West Holcombe Boulevard in the city of West University Place will officially open to traffic Feb. 17 as work concludes on the ongoing paving and drainage project.

The opening, several months ahead of schedule, was announced in an online update posted by city officials Feb. 16. Plans to open lanes earlier in February were delayed after inclement weather caused setbacks in the final lane striping process. SER Construction was the contractor on the project.

Construction on the roughly $32.2 million project dates back to 2021, though planning work started in 2019. The project, carried out through four phases, entailed replacing road surface and drainage, including the installation of storm sewer boxes to carry stormwater to Poor Farm Ditch. The project also brought visual enhancements at major intersections. The city received a $9.2 million federal grant to help cover a portion of the cost of the project.

Although the lanes will reopen Feb. 17, crews are beginning a final site restoration checklist that is slated for completion in April.