It's about to get easier to get to the Nebraska State Fair, which opens on Friday.

The last lane of Locust Street in Grand Island could open as early as Tuesday night.

Officials believe Locust Street from Interstate 80 will be the preferred route for fair-goers because it leads directly to the fair.

That road to the State Fair now has four lanes.

"It's a phenomenal relief," said GI Public Works Director Steve Riehle. "The new road is open to traffic and rides quite well across our new bridges."

With re-striping efforts behind schedule, one of the old southbound lanes will reopen two days before the fair.

"We get that pavement marking removal done on the existing road and we'll open it up and have a four lane facility all the way into town for the State Fair," said Riehle.

Another major entrance into Grand Island - northbound Highway 281 - opened just last week.

No matter how you get into town, you'll be directed to Locust Street.

"If they come in from other directions we're still going to target them or funnel them to Locust Street because that's the main entrance to the State Fair," said Riehle.

Drivers are getting the green light throughout town with just a few exceptions. The Highway 281 Union Pacific Railroad overpass still has a month of construction to go.

"[It will] just be the southbound lanes. We'll be switching the traffic to the outside lanes," said Bob Nordhues of the Nebraska Department of Roads. "Up on Highway 2 on the railroad overhead over the Burlington Northern tracks, that is still going to be head to head traffic on that as well."

"They'll be a few barricades on the very north end and south end [of Locust Street] where we'll have some traffic barrels out there, but the rest of the road will be largely unimpeded," said Riehle.

After the fair, it's back to work.

Permanent striping will be done on Highway 281 and median work, turning lanes, and seeding will be added on Locust Street.

In the meantime, Riehle says on-site security, the Nebraska State Patrol, Department of Roads, GI Police Department, and Hall County Sheriff's Office have teamed up to keep traffic flowing. He says provisions have been made to accommodate heavy or light traffic.

Free parking is available on the fair grounds.

Off-site park and ride locations have also been set up throughout town. For times and locations, click on the link below.