Motorists and pedestrians will experience inconvenience for a few more months on Taylor Street, because the street’s namesake bridge needed rebuilding.

The 50-year -old structure, which is located less than one mile south of Lincoln Highway and about a quarter-mile east of Annie Glidden Road, has several deficiencies that need repair so pedestrians and bike riders will feel safer when crossing, assistant city engineer Joel Maurer said.

“Some of the reasons that the bridge is being rebuilt is because, most notably, there are no sidewalks and nearby is a residential municipal park,” he said. “People couldn’t really get across the street safely without walking in the streets and looking over their shoulder in fear of cars hitting them.”

The bridge has been closed to all traffic since May 29. Maurer said the contractor has shut down the bridge completely and that his crews are beginning to remove parts from the bridge and put in new ones.

Maurer said the $1.2-million project should be done by Sept. 30.

He added that the bridge isn’t wide enough to suit today’s travel volume and parking needs.

“The bridge has had some minor work done numerous times, but the last severe work was done about 12 years ago, which included minor surface repair to the pavement, but certainly nothing to this magnitude,” Maurer said.

There hasn’t been any serious damage, as far as sewage back-ups or power failures, he said. There have been times when the contractors have had to shut off the water for a few hours to take care of some minor problems.

A major complaint occurred about a week ago when it rained a couple of inches. Contractors were forced to place their equipment onto people’s yards, causing their front yards to become very muddy. Contractors laid down wood planks for residents to walk to and from their houses and cars.