By Jordan Puckett
Sun staff

Construction on the Charity Street bridge in Bethel began June 10. The bridge, owned by Clermont County, has needed replacement for years and the sidewalks on each side, owned by the Village of Bethel, have been unusable for the past ten years, according to village administrator Travis Dotson.

The total cost for the project is $198,300. The Village of Bethel will supply $5,700 of that, while the rest will be funded through a Community Development Block Grant.

“We chose to utilize CDBG funding so that both the county and the village could benefit through the replacement of the bridge and walks,” Dotson said.

The road will be closed from the bridge to the nearest alley road on both ends for the duration of the project.

The project was originally slated for completion during 2012, though engineering delays pushed construction back until summer 2013. Construction on the bridge should be completed by the end of July.