SANDPOINT — The clock is ticking down for the planned opening of the long-awaited Sand Creek Byway on Friday.

Crews will prepare the road and remove barriers for northbound traffic by about 8:30 a.m. Both north- and southbound lanes are expected to be open by 9 a.m.

The bike and pedestrian trails on the east side of Sand Creek are expected be open for use by mid-afternoon, according to ITD.

The $106 million U.S. Highway 95 realignment project is expected to provide a safe, long-term solution to traffic-congestion problems in the Greater Sandpoint area by providing a nonstop, through-town corridor for commercial truck traffic, ITD said.

Parson’s RCI of Sumner, Wash., began working on the project in 2008. The project was originally scheduled for completion this fall.