The wait is over for people in Stratford. A vital part of Route 113, or Lordship Boulevard, reopened Friday after a more than four-month closure.

In early June, a 3-foot wide by 7-foot deep sinkhole shut down the stretch from Great Meadow Road to Oak Bluff Avenue, leaving people in the Lordship section of town with only one road in and out. The Connecticut Department of Transportation issued an emergency declaration to expedite repairs.

“I really just want to send my kudos to the Arborio crew that was working nonstop to get this open,” said CTDOT Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto about the department’s contractor, Arborio Corporation.

“We basically did in three moths what would typically be maybe at least a year long construction process, maybe a year and a half,” explained CTDOT Chief Engineer Jim Fallon. “I would also complement our design team that basically had to come up with everything on the fly.”

The sped-up timeline was because the road is one of only two ways in and out of Lordship.

“This project has been ahead of schedule, and we're really happy about it,” said Mayor Laura Hoydick.

Just by coincidence, the reopening comes as a potential nor’easter is forecasted for the weekend, so people in Lordship will have both evacuation routes available if necessary. That's something that’s been a big concern with it being hurricane season.

“I was able to walk to this meeting today from the Lordship side, which is the first time I've been able to come this way on the road, so it was a really cool experience,” said Stratford Councilman Bryan O’Connor. “And I was stopped by several people just excited about reopening this road.”

It means a return to normal for the patience-tested community whose members have had to endure detours and traffic backups.

“After last year having the other side closed, we really appreciate their patience,” added state Rep. Joe Gresko.

It’s also business as usual at neighboring Sikorsky Airport, which had to close one runway during the repairs because of the height of the crane used for the construction. CTDOT needed FAA clearance before work could begin. The department also also needed environmental approvals because the route runs through a wildlife refuge with protected species.

“This is the bread and butter of what we do, and it just shows how working with the community and the elected leaders here, we were able to get it done,” Eucalitto stated.

Eucalitto told News 12 the project will end up costing just over $6 million, which will be fully covered by the state.