Beginning next week, the city will begin replacing the deck on Newport Bridge and will have to close a two-block area on the street to allow for the construction.

The wooden deck on the bridge will be removed and replaced with steel girders and reinforced concrete decks. Sidewalks will be added on both sides along with a safety guardrail. The work will be extensive with concrete sidewalks on both ends of the bridge, asphalt patching, and overlay all a part of the construction project.

Ramon Aragon, Associate Field Engineer for the city’s Public Works Department says the sidewalk at the bridge and some curb, gutter, and asphalt have already been demolished in preparation for construction.

The work is being paid for by the City of Pueblo’s vehicle registration fees and will not require any financial participation from adjacent property owners.

Newport Avenue will be closed to through traffic between 22nd and 24th Streets during the construction process which is expected to last until about the middle of September. Residents however, will still be able to access their property during the construction process. A letter from the Public Works Department will be sent to people who live in the area with more information.

Anyone who has questions about the Newport Bridge Project should call the City of Pueblo’s Public Works Department at 719-553-2295.