GARDINER -- The southbound lanes of Interstate 295 may reopen Sunday $ nearly three weeks ahead of schedule, the Maine Department of Transportation announced Friday.

Officials said final work is being completed "as weather permits," and the road may open as early as early Sunday morning.

The surprise announcement comes despite 16 days of rain in July, 17 in June and six of eight days in August, according to National Weather Service data.

Crews were "able to get quite a bit of the paving done before the stretch of bad weather, (and) worked 16 hours a day and every holiday," said Meg Lane, a transportation department spokeswoman. "They've done everything humanly possible to get this done as quickly as possible."

The transportation department, Pike Industries and subcontractors worked seven days a week and despite one of the wettest construction seasons on record laid 181,000 tons of asphalt, installed seven miles of guardrail and rebuilt five bridges since June 15.

The project was funded 90 percent by the Federal Highway Administration. Cole said 90 percent of the work was done by Maine-based companies.

The new road is expected to last more than 20 years. The road opened in 1972, but its concrete surface had deteriorated badly over the years.

Vacationers, commuters, residents along detour routes and the state stand to benefit from the earlier opening, but the big winner appears to be Pike Industries.

The contractor had incentives in its $28.5 million contract that pay the company a bonus of up to $2 million for finishing before the Aug. 30 deadline.

Officials will make a determination on the reopening Saturday, Lane said. Motorists can learn of the road's status by listening to traffic advisories on 1610-AM or by viewing the variable message boards posted on I-95 north of the I-295 interchange. More information on the project also can be found at www.mainedot.gov.