St. Francis bridge replacement work begins
Holland to be closed end of May for another bridge replacement
Work began on a $356,331 job to replace the St. Francis Drive bridge at Holland Avenue Monday.
The street has been closed from Holland Avenue east to the four-way stop at Valley View Drive and Posey Avenue.
The bridge had been removed by Tuesday afternoon and Mayor James A. Young said workers are doing test pilings.
“They are trying to see how deep they are going to have to go,” Young said. “It is going to be a precast bridge. Once we get the pilings done and things put in place, they will bring other sections in. I think they will be able to make the deadline (at the end of May).”
This is a time-sensitive project, Young said in an earlier story. The state is planning to start work to replace a bridge on Holland Avenue near Bumpers starting at the end of May. The St. Francis bridge project needs to be completed by then, he said.
The St. Francis bridge had been declared unsafe after an inspection found the rotten pilings. The weight limit on the bridge was lowered and only passenger cars have been able to use it requiring school buses to detour.
Joe Magee Construction of Lake is doing the work.