ONE lane of the westbound section of the Yan’an Road E. Tunnel, which is undergoing a major renovation program, is set to reopen sooner than expected, the Shanghai Road & Bridge Co said yesterday.

The section has been closed since March 14 and was set to remain so until the end of August, the company said. However, the fire-safety and ventilation systems have already been completed, and work on the lighting and surveillance networks is progressing well. All works should be completed by the end of the month, which means the one of the two lanes should reopen ahead of schedule. After that, an estimated four-month renovation program will begin on the other lane of the westbound section, the company said.