When any township or district road has been finally laid out, widened or altered according to the provisions of this Division of this Code, the owners of such lands taken shall have a reasonable time, not exceeding 8 months, to be designated by the highway commissioner to harvest crops which may be on such lands before such road shall be opened, provided however that if the damages to crops have been included in the total damages finally allowed or awarded then the highway commissioner may enter upon such premises at once for the purpose of opening such road, provided further that if there are fences on such land taken, he shall first give notice to remove said fences as provided in Section 6-317 of this Code.