South State Street is expected to re-open at East Liberty Street in downtown Ann Arbor by Dec. 30, said Pat Cawley, senior project manager for the city.

Cawley said the current permit to close the road is set to expire Thursday, but more work — which would require the road to be closed again — is expected to take place next week. 

He said the decision was made Monday to extend the permit rather than open the road for a few days and then close it again next week.

While South State Street remains closed at East Liberty Street for construction, the regular traffic light remains operative due to pedestrian traffic, Cawley said.

“The pedestrian walk (sign) comes up before the green comes up for Liberty (traffic),” he said, which is what led to the decision to keep the light operative rather than post stop signs at the intersection.

Though traffic is reduced to a two-way stop at the intersection, Cawley said, motorists “should still obey the light.”