A $14.4 million project to replace a historic bridge connecting Prescott to northern Arizona is expected to begin next week.
The Prescott Daily Courier reports about 3,400 vehicles cross the Hell Canyon Bridge daily, and drivers can expect brief delays as the Arizona Department of Transportation builds a wider structure that will accommodate heavier commercial vehicles.
The project comes two years after transportation officials repaired a two-foot hole in the deck of the 61-year-old bridge, causing delays.
ADOT spokesman Dustin Krugel said some roads in the area will be briefly closed by rock blasting to accommodate temporary access roads.
Construction is expected to last a year, at which point traffic will be diverted to the new bridge, and the original structure will be taken apart.