Heads up for motorists: a bridge in Greene County is closed starting today.

Greene County Engineer Wade Weiss says the 22-foot-wide bridge on County Road E-18 west of Paton will be closed for up to 65 working days so that it can be replaced.

“That structure is a narrow bridge, structurally deficient and functionally obsolete I guess is what it actually it is because of the narrowness of the bridge. It’s going to be a much needed improvement on E-18 and one that we’ve been looking forward to for quite some time.”

Plans include widening the bridge to 30-feet-six-inches, and lengthening it from 60-feet to 100-feet. Weiss adds there will also be a five-inch asphalt overlay applied to a 2 ¼-mile stretch of the roadway by the bridge as well. Work had to be held off until after August 1st, due to a regulation from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Weiss explains, “The Topeka Shiner is an endangered species that is protected under the laws of the state of Iowa. That did not allow construction within the stream bed between May 1st and August 1st. So we’re just getting started a little late on this project because of that.”

The detour in place includes: County Road P-33 to E-26 to Highway 4 to P-29.

The contractor for the bridge replacement project is Dixon Construction, for a total of $609,710, and the asphalt overlay is being handled by Fort Dodge Asphalt, for a total of $1,206,370. Weiss notes that both projects are being paid for with farm-to-market funds.