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Tennessee officials have reopened a section of Interstate 40 through Knoxville after reconstruction efforts closed the highway for more than a year, the Knoxville News-Sentinel reported.

In a ceremony Friday, state officials opened the newly widened 0.9-mile section, 18 days before the scheduled June 30 opening, the News-Sentinel said.

The construction project meant that traffic on the highway had been detoured to Interstate 640 since May 1, 2008. Tennessee Department of Transportation officials said Friday that the detour worked well, the News-Sentinel said.

The project has cost $109 million so far, making it the most expensive highway project in state history, the News-Sentinel reported. Some minor re-striping and sign changes will be completed in the coming months.