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POLK COUNTY, Iowa – A major project ten years in the making begins Monday morning near Saylor Township and Ankeny.

Iowa DOT is demolishing the bridge off of 66th Avenue and Iowa 415, and transforming it into an “At Grade” intersection with traffic signals.

Iowa DOT Transportation Engineer Associate Clayton Burke said many large semi-trucks have been running in to the bridge and getting stuck.

During construction, Iowa 415 will be reduced to one lane on both sides and people will not have access to 66th Avenue.

Burke said residents in the area will also have a new route to get to their homes.

“We are actually building temporary access routes. So we are building pretty much what are gravel roads, to their houses for them so they can still have access in and out of 66th Avenue,” Burke said.

A detour route is in place for people. If you are coming in from the east side, Iowa DOT will send you up north on 69 to Oralabor Road. If you are coming from the west side, Iowa DOT will send you up north on NW 26th Street to Oralabor Road.

“Those will be across the road at Iowa 415. We will also have barricades that say road to through traffic at 69and at NW 6th drive,” Burke said.

Burke said the construction can last up until November, depending on weather conditions.