It's official, the new southbound ramp of Northway Exit 3 is open to drivers. Governor Andrew Cuomo made the announcement Sunday morning in Colonie. 

"The last three words are three words you very rarely hear for a government project: This project is ahead of schedule," Cuomo said.

The project upgrades access and alleviates traffic congestion in the area between Exits 3 and 5.

"The project was supposed to be completed next year, and we are only weeks from the total completion," Cuomo said.

Cuomo said it is important visitors have a great experience when they arrive in the Capital Region.

"The airport becomes the front door. The airport is the place that's going to bring people here and take people from here. They're not coming by car anymore, they're not coming by barge, they're not coming by ferry. They're flying into the Capital District Region and we have to have a first-class airport," Cuomo said.

Cuomo said building the long-awaited Exit 3 ramp is a major step in creating that experience for visitors, along with upgrades to the airport itself. 

"This ramp today will allow DOT to move traffic, to complete the other related other road projects that are surrounding this project," Cuomo said. "[In] about three to four weeks the entire road project will be completed."

The new exit opens up a direct connection to Albany International Airport, but that's not all.

"We're building a new southbound Exit 4 off-ramp, as well as a new on-ramp from Watervliet-Shaker Road at Exit 5," said NYSDOT Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez.

Dominguez said they will add an auxiliary lane to allow drivers more room to speed up or slow down while merging, as well as a noise reduction wall along I-87 northbound. 

A new connector ramp off Exit 4 to Wolf Road is being installed, and sidewalks are being added on the south side of Albany-Shaker Rd. — which she says will improve the quality of life for commuters and homeowners in the area.

"The access to the airport has been an issue spotted about 50 years ago," Cuomo said.

And now the state is working to fix it.

"So all of these projects are coming full-circle," Dominguez said.