Workers with Sunflower Paving Inc., of Baldwin City, were busy Tuesday on North Second Street, pouring concrete for a new lane of roadway. After months of delay, the reconstruction of the intersection of North Second and Locust streets is nearing its end.

The sun is out. The mercury is rising.

And Brad Meek is smiling.

“It’s nice, because we haven’t been able to do anything for so long,” said Meek, superintendent for Sunflower Paving Inc., looking out over his crew of 14 people scurrying Tuesday evening north of the intersection of North Second and Locust streets. “People are clapping when they’re driving by, they’re so happy to see somebody doing something.”

Such activity — pouring 345 tons of concrete Tuesday, then covering it all with insulated tarps to keep the material warm — has been a scarcity so far this winter, as frigid temperatures and snow and ice have prevented much progress on the $2.5 million reconstruction project in North Lawrence.

Tuesday’s relative warmth came after similar conditions Monday and at the end of last week. Crews thus far have managed to pour new curbs along the east side of the street, plus much of a new lane to carry traffic beneath the railroad tracks north of the intersection.

Today: another lane. Thursday: a middle lane.

Add at least another week for curing, plus some time to seal joints and apply lane markings, and North Second should be opening for two-way traffic by April 5, said Chuck Soules, the city’s director of public works.

Guaranteed.

“It’ll be done,” Soules said. “We’ll definitely have it open to two lanes by then.”

Traffic heading north into North Lawrence has been detoured away from the intersection since July 30. The detour originally was expected to be lifted by November, but unexpected design challenges and weather complications pushed the date back until late March, and then again to April 5.

Once North Second reopens, Soules said, work will begin to repair damage to roads on the detour.

The entire project is scheduled for completion by Aug. 26.