FLAGLER BEACH, Fla. — After months and months of construction, State Road A1A is now open in both directions in Flagler Beach.

A1A was brought down to one lane for about 11 months during the $22.4 million project meant to fix the damage left behind by Hurricane Matthew.

During that time, many of the area businesses claimed that the reduced traffic hurt their bottom lines.

“It’s definitely been inconvenient,” said Ariel Berrios, Executive Chef of Oceanside Bar and Grill. “Looking at our sales from last year and comparing them, it’s definitely a major difference.”

Flagler Beach City Manager Larry Newsom is confident the new road will bring people back to scenic A1A.

Newsom said there is still some additional work that needs to be done to the roads, despite the fact that it is now open. He believes that could be completed by January 2020.