After about 40 years, the Taylor Street Bridge over the Kishwaukee River soon will be reconstructed to help make travel and recreation in the area easier for residents.

Preliminary work on the $1 million bridge already has begun, including removing trees and the relocation of gas mains, said Joel Maurer, assistant city engineer. He added that additional work has been halted until next week because of the weather.

By early May, Maurer hopes to have the area around the bridge closed off for what will be a five-month project. In that time the city plans to widen the bridge to allow for two lanes of traffic, parking and seven-foot pedestrian walkways on both sides of the bridge.

The $1 million price tag on the bridge is almost taken care of, Maurer said. Sixty percent is coming from federal aid by means of a bridge replacement program. And another $115,000 is coming from a legislative grant from Sen. J. Bradley Burzynski.

Remaining costs should be covered by local funds, Maurer added.

The reconstruction of the bridge is long coming, Maurer said.

“It’s a 1960s era bridge that’s deteriorating,” Maurer said. “With [Lions] park near by it keeps pedestrians safer and adds parking.”