WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — A 620-foot-long bridge southwest of Clearwater will close for about 10 months so it can be replaced.
Sedgwick County says inspections of the 151st Street bridge over the Ninnescah River have categorized the bridge as “structurally deficient and in poor condition.” The bridge was built in 1955.
“The existing bridge served us well for nearly seven decades, but maintenance is no longer an option,” Lynn Packer, Sedgwick County Public Works director, said in a news release. “A full replacement guarantees the bridge is state-of-the-art in both design and building materials.”
The bridge will close on Nov. 27, the Monday after Thanksgiving, and remain closed through the summer.
A small housing division and a sand-dredging operation are south of the bridge. When the bridge closes, the residents and workers will have to use a longer route to get to and from Clearwater.
“Unfortunately, a project of this magnitude always causes some traffic headaches, but the people most inconvenienced by this construction will also see the biggest benefit when the new bridge is done,” Packer said. “It will ensure a safe and reliable crossing for generations to come.”
The bridge replacement project will cost $4.5 million.