It’s been only three short years since replacement of the first bridge on Mountain Road was completed, freeing traffic and walkers to traverse the scenic section of road from Route 272 to Westside Road. Now the road is closed again as work begins on a second bridge.
The second bridge, located about 200 feet from Westside Road on the Route 272 side of the intersection, will be a clear span rather than the three-cell culvert currently in place and will provide for wildlife crossings underneath it.
The estimated construction cost for this project is approximately $1.86 million. The federal government will pay 80 percent of the cost through its federal bridge program, and the state will assume payment for the remaining 20 percent.
The existing bridge was constructed in 1955 and is a 21-foot-long, span in poor condition, according to the DOT.