BEATRICE – Construction started this week on a bridge critical to the traveling public in an area north of Beatrice.

The bridge, along the Pickrell Road, just east of Pickrell…has been closed  since early this year, after a routine inspection showed problems with the deck of the structure….making it unsafe for travel.

Officials are hoping for construction to be completed by about mid-October.   There is a 60-day work period in the contract with J-J-K Construction of Ceresco…which is replacing the bridge with triple concrete box culverts at a cost of some $774,000. 

The road where the bridge site spans Indian Creek, carries significant traffic to and from the village of Pickrell. 

Pickrell Road is now barricaded east of the bridge….and west of the intersection of Pickrell Road and Southwest 2nd Road.