First Avenue reopened to single lane traffic at approximately 11 a.m. Thursday morning.
The route, which links Highway 16 East with Highway 16 West, was closed Wednesday at 7 p.m. to allow installation of hot water pipes as part of the downtown district energy system.
City utility engineering supervisor Kristy Brown said the road was scheduled to reopen at 7 a.m. on Thursday, but crews encountered some difficulties overnight.
"There was some existing things in the ground that forced us to rethink what we were doing a little bit," Brown said.
Some existing utility lines required the city to adjust the alignment of the hot water pipes, she explained.
First Avenue was expected to be restricted to single-lane traffic for the rest of the day, Brown said.
"Once we have back filled the lanes, the paving crews will be in there," she said. "We hope to have it done by this evening, but sometimes things can be delayed. It should reopen on Friday for sure."
Travelers looking to connect between Highway 16 West and Highway 16 East without delays can use Fourth or Fifth Avenue to connect between Queensway and Victoria Street.
