FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) — A stretch of State Boulevard is set to be closed for two months as crews continue work to straighten the heavily traveled roadway.

The city of Fort Wayne announced Wednesday that State will be closed from Wells Street to Clinton Street beginning Monday, April 13. During the closure, crews will work to tie-in the new road, along with storm sewers, sidewalks, and the trail. Work on the northern half of the new bridge will also be completed.

A detour will include Wells Street, Fernhill Avenue, and Clinton Street. During the closure, residents living on side streets on the north side of the road will not have access to State.

“Even though closures are never a welcome sight, the restriction is driving us closer to completion of a project that began with planning, 13 years ago. These improvements were needed to replace an aging bridge and improve safety for motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists,” said Shan Gunawardena, Director of Public Works. “Anytime a major road closes, it is a significant inconvenience, and so we ask that motorists be patient, slow down and allow for extra travel time using the marked detour.”

The project should be complete this fall.

About the project

The project replaces a bridge that’s nearly 90 years old. Since building the original bridge, Federal regulations evolved, and to meet today’s Federal flood requirements, the height of the new bridge must be more than seven feet higher. The new bridge is south of the existing road to minimize the impact of the new elevation on the neighborhood. The current State Boulevard will become a residential street for the neighborhood.

The new bridge and street enhancements will protect the neighborhood from flooding while improving safety for motorists by realigning the roadway to take out a severe curve, the site of an excessive number of accidents.

The project features enhancements for motorists, pedestrians and residents of the area. Pedestrian improvements include crosswalks, a sidewalk on one side of the road and a trail on the other. The pedestrian infrastructure is separated from vehicle traffic by a park strip. A bridge will cross State to connect the north/south sides of the Pufferbelly Trail.

For motorists, the improvements include an extra travel lane in each direction, the realignment of the road to soften the curve, and a center turn lane where needed.

Aesthetic improvements include landscaping on both sides of the roadway and a center median, additional green space with trees between the new road and the old street, and ornamental street lighting throughout the project.

The $8.18 million investment is funded 80 percent by the Federal government and 20 percent by the City.