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CHILLICOTHE, IOWA -- It is a project that has been decades in the making; and as of Wednesday it is open for business.

Since 1996, officials with Wapello County have been working on getting the old Chillicothe bridge replaced, and as of Wednesday, the new multimillion dollar project is somewhat complete.

The new bridge opened to traffic Wednesday morning, making it easier for drivers to cross the Des Moines River, especially truck drivers delivering supplies to the Chillicothe Power Plant. However, there is still a little bit of work that will be completed in the future.

“Right now it is open as a gravel road. We will come back next year and put a hard surface on that to complete the project; but now both bridges are complete and the road is open to traffic,” said Brian Moore with the Wapello County Secondary Roads Department.

The new bridge was funded by an I-Jobs Grant totaling more than $5.3 Million. Moore says that the new bridge will have a lifespan of about 60 years.

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