CARMEL, Ind. (AP) – The state highway department is about to reopen a stretch of U.S. 31 through the northern suburbs of Indianapolis that's been closed since April.

Department spokesman Nathan Riggs says the timing of reopening the section through Carmel hasn't been set, but that it will be open to traffic before Thanksgiving Day on Thursday.

The highway was shut down for more than a mile to allow for faster completion of work that includes building interchanges and overpasses as part of a project upgrading it to interstate standards.

Riggs says that two lanes will be open in each direction, but construction work will continue in that area on building a third lane through next year.