A decade after it first closed, work on the Kelly Street Bridge in Streator has recently resumed and is expected to be completed later this summer.

The bridge over Prairie Creek was closed in 2016 after the concrete supporting the steel piles eroded to the point that it couldn’t support the weight consistently. It connects Bluff Street to First Street and offers an option to cross Prairie Creek for neighborhoods west of Route 23.

Funding for the roughly $1 million project is shared between La Salle County and Streator, with the county’s highway department covering the majority of costs at $800K and the city contributing $280K from its motor fuel tax funds.

Although the city completed the engineering design work, Streator Community Development Director Dean Chalkey said the project is now being handled by the county.

Construction technically began in September last year, with contracted crews removing the old structure and setting future work up once the weather warmed up again.

Earlier this year, La Salle County Highway Engineer Don Ernadt said crews returned to the site after the cold winter months but faced even more weather delays in the spring.

“It was weather over the winter that stalled for a little bit and we were expecting to pick things up in when it warmed a bit,” Ernadt said. “And then the spring has been one of the most wet springs we’ve had in a long time.”

Both Chalkey and Ernadt confirmed the remaining work includes roadway construction, guardrail installation, seeding and other minor finishing items.

Looking ahead, Ernadt said the project could wrap up within three to four weeks depending on weather conditions.