Motorists tooling along state Route 18 in Hermitage found the going easier Thursday as most of the highway was fully opened.

PennDOT opened all five lanes on about a 2-mile stretch of the 2.è-mile-long project. The highway, known locally as North Hermitage Road, is being widened from two to five lanes at a cost of more than $13 million.

By next week all five lanes on the entire stretch between East State Street and the South Pymatuning Township line should be open to motorists with occasional temporary lane closures, said Bill Hanson, PennDOT's manager for the project. The largest part of work still remaining is installing traffic signals, he said.

Work on embankments, minor milling and paving also has to be completed. PennDOT expects to have all work completed by Nov. 11.