The morning commute between Bradenton and East Manatee just got easier.

The last of six newly paved lanes of State Road 64 East opened this past weekend after two years of construction. The eastbound half of the highway, which had been limited mostly to two lanes between Braden River and just west of Interstate 75, was the last major piece of a $13.4 million project.

The road was supposed to be finished last fall, but bad weather, holiday work stoppages and construction delays put the project behind schedule.

The project added two lanes to S.R. 64, a major east-west route between Bradenton and the interstate.