PENSACOLA, Fla. (WKRG) — After several years of planning and construction, about half of the Pensacola Bay Bridge is complete.

“It’s been a tough summer season for us so we’re glad to see the bridge open and traffic flowing at least eastbound so that’s a good thing,” said Carlos Faught, owner of Bay Breeze Dive Center on the south end of the bridge.

Faught said since bridge construction started, his sales are down about 80 percent.

“The state really wanted to give us a small amount and have us shut down but we have a lot of money invested here,” Faught said. “We think once the bridge is completed that it’s going to be a good thing for everyone and business will be really really good for us.”

For now, southbound traffic is moving on the new bridge but northbound traffic is still on the old bridge. All traffic will shift to the new bridge Sunday before they demolish the old bridge.

Laris Breaux lives here and is excited about the progress being made.

“It’s amazing..an amazing accomplishment..a lot of work,” Breaux said. “A lot higher than the other bridge for the storm and I really like what they did with the bike lanes for our bridge run..just a lot more room for the bikers and people do walk the bridge regularly.”

The Florida Department of Transportation expects the other half of the bridge to be rebuilt by mid-2021. When complete, there will be three lanes going in each direction.