OTTUMWA — The process has started for a new bridge in Chillicothe over the Des Moines River.

The Wapello County Supervisors held a public hearing on the issue at their meeting Tuesday evening.

About a dozen Chillicothe residents attended the meeting; many had concerns about how the construction would impact their property and the possibility of street flooding after the project is complete.

Wapello County Engineer Brian Moore said there are a lot of details that still need to be worked out with property owners but presented preliminary plans Monday.

The bridge is “designed wide enough to allow the water to find its way through the bridge,” Moore said about questions on road flooding.

He said they considered four options. They are hoping to move forward with the one that provides the cleanest and shortest route, along with the least amount of grading required. The current bridge is in bad shape from years of wear and tear and is too narrow. The new bridge will be built about one-fourth of a mile upstream from the old bridge.

The project will cost an estimated $7.5 million about $5.35 million will come from I-JOBS grant money, while the remaining $3 million will come from county and city bridge funds, Moore said.

The bridge project has been about 10 years in the making, Moore said, and with the I-JOBS grant, the county now has enough money to move forward.

“We’re looking at a three-year project from start to finish,” Moore said. They hope to start work on the new river bridge in July 2010.

“We will keep access open the best we can. Will there be times that it’s closed and you have detours? Yes,” Moore said. “But you will have access into town.”

Along with a new river bridge, a bridge will be built over the railroad tracks, eliminating a rail crossing. This is part of the railroad’s national effort to eliminate 25 percent of crossings, Supervisor Jerry Parker said.

After the hearing, the supervisors approved a 28E agreement between Wapello County and the city of Chillicothe. The city can request bridge funds, and the agreement would allow them to hand that money to the county to go toward the project.

In the next few weeks, the supervisors will consider what they heard at the public hearing and take action on the river bridge phase of the project.

Pat Shaver can be reached at (641) 683-5360 or by e-mail at p.shaver@ottumwacourier.com.