HOPE MILLS, N.C. — The end is in sight for Hope Mills residents who are close to getting back a popular street.

Crews plan to finish rebuilding  Lakeview Road by mid-September. In 2003, heavy rains flooded Hope Mills Lake, overpowered the dam and washed out Lakeview Road.

Since then, residents have been forced to find other ways around the area.

Once the road opens, it will make the trip, from one side of Hope Mills Lake to the other side, easier.

Mike Mitchell lives on the west side of the lake and can see the east side from his dock. While he is just about 100 yards to the other side of the lake, for him, the detour is more than a mile.

"Now, we have to go out by the (traffic) light, go up to Legion Road and then, we hang a right on Legion Road, go all the way down to Cameron Road, right in front of Hope Mills Middle School, and we turn right, come back to Main Street and come back down."

Crews are finishing the bridge. Then, they will work on the street itself.

For residents, it's been a long road to recovery -- a road they cannot wait to drive.