PORT ORCHARD — The two-year-long wait is over.

Tremont Street, Port Orchard’s busy arterial connecting the city to Highway 16, has opened ahead of the city’s planned Friday celebration.

Active Construction, Inc. and its subcontractors have completed their work slightly ahead of schedule, giving commuters with the Monday blues a pleasant surprise — no more detours, just a straight shot down the newly widened Tremont Street and through two new roundabouts leading to and from Highway 16.

Some final punch-list work still remains to be done in the next few weeks, according to city officials, and there might be some lane closures, if needed.

The City of Port Orchard, however, still plans to stage its celebration commemorating the finish of construction work at 1 p.m. on Friday. The event, complete with servings of hot dogs, cake and chips, will take place at Bethany Lutheran Church, 151 Tremont St.

State Sen. Emily Randall and state Reps. Michelle Caldier and Jesse Young, and retired state Sen. Jan Angel, will be in attendance at the event. The 26th Legislative District legislators were instrumental in securing a portion of the project’s funding from state sources.

The Tremont Street widening project has been completed and the arterial has reopened 25 months after city officials staged a groundbreaking ceremony in July 2017. (Bob Smith | Kitsap Daily News)