Cross your fingers. Hyland Avenue may reopen in the next week or so.

After driving through a maze of detours since mid-summer, students will be able to hit Ontario Street and 13th Street via the new and improved Hyland Avenue — at least until next spring.

Jim Byg, a municipal engineer with Ames Public Works, said construction began at Clear Creek and ran north to Ontario Street. Starting in the spring the city will once again close the street and begin construction from Clear Creek south to Lincoln Way.

“Actually, it won’t be finished until this time next year,” he said.

Construction began last spring when electric conduit was placed. During the next construction season the city will have twice the distance to repave, Byg said.

Students can expect to see the road closed for much of the next year.

The new street is wider and features 5-feet wide bicycle paths on each side. Planning for reconstruction began several years ago.

The city will still have to do some clean-up on Hyland Avenue after it’s reopened.

Nearly all of the city’s construction projects will be completed in the next two weeks.

In addition, construction is continuing on the paving of Ontario Street between Nebraska Avenue and County Line Road. It should be reopened next week. Work at the corner of Clark Avenue and Lincoln Way is also nearly complete.