Douglas County officials are bracing for the loss of another bridge across the Kansas Turnpike.

And they can’t wait.

“We’re getting a problem bridge — and a liability for the county — fixed for a reasonable price,” said Keith Browning, county engineer and director of public works. “It won’t last very many more years.”

That’s why the bridge along County Road 438 — the northern extension of Kasold Drive at the edge of Lawrence — is scheduled for replacement by the end of 2006.

The work will come 50 years after the two-lane bridge opened for traffic, and just in time to save the county a significant chunk of money.

That’s because the city of Lawrence, using money set aside by the federal government, is expected to cover $1.15 million of the nearly $1.6 million project cost. The Kansas Turnpike Authority is slated to kick in about $240,000, leaving the county on the hook for $194,000.

The new bridge will be designed to have four lanes, plus two 6-foot-wide sidewalks.

The existing bridge carries about 2,100 vehicles a day, but traffic is expected to increase as dozens of new homes and duplexes continue to pop up nearby. The bridge helps connect city traffic with the Farmers Turnpike, a popular link to County Road 1029, which runs into Lecompton.

“It’s a priority (project for us),” said Debbie Van Saun, assistant city manager. “We’re growing that way.”

The turnpike authority welcomes the new bridge because the structure’s supports will be far enough apart to accommodate the eventual widening of the turnpike to six from four lanes. Such work is in the long-range plans for the turnpike between Lecompton and Kansas Highway 7 in Wyandotte County.

“I think it’s a win-win-win for all three partners,” Browning said.

The authority already intends to close for improvement two bridges across the turnpike this fall in Douglas County: at East 300 and East 800 roads. A third, on East 100 Road, will be done after the other two.

Each of the $900,000 projects will be financed entirely by the turnpike authority, and are designed to make way for the turnpike’s widening to six from four lanes between Topeka and the Lecompton interchange. The widening project is scheduled to be complete by the end of 2006.