A 56-year-old bridge on County Road 1055 near the Cedar Hill Gun Club, 918 E. 1650 Road, will be replaced in 2006.

But the project, along one of the most traveled roads in Douglas County, won’t end with the bridge replacement. County commissioners have advised public works director Keith Browning that they would like to straighten two curves in the road near the bridge.

Commissioners will hold a public hearing about the road project in two to three weeks. Future improvements along the road also will be discussed at the hearing.

“I think it’s important that we have the hearing so that people who use the road or live near it can have a look at what we’re doing and also have an idea of the long-term approach as to how that road can be improved,” Commissioner Bob Johnson said. “We should develop a long-term vision for the road. But we also want to make sure people understand that we can’t do it all at once.”

Browning discussed the project earlier this week with the county commissioners.

The county will receive federal funds for the project involving the bridge replacement and the two curves in the road. Based on preliminary estimates, the construction cost will be about $1 million. Of that amount, Douglas County would pay about $155,000. The cost doesn’t include engineering design, appraisal services, waterline relocation or purchase of right of way.

County Road 1055 is a major county roadway that carries about 2,000 vehicles a day, Browning said. The road, which becomes Haskell Avenue at the Lawrence city limit, is a well-traveled route between Lawrence and Baldwin.

Browning said the bridge had a 10-ton load limit and needed to be replaced for structural and functional reasons.

This bridge on County Road 1055 near the Cedar Hill Gun Club, southeast of Lawrence, will be replaced in 2006, and other changes may be added to the project, including straightening two curves in the road near the bridge. Douglas County commissioners will hold a public hearing about this road project and other future improvement along the road in two to three weeks.

The two curves in the road near the bridge each have a posted 40 mph speed advisory. Browning said straightening out and widening the road would improve the safety along County Road 1055.

“This is going to be an inconvenience for the residents and people who use the road for about a year and we don’t want that,” Commissioner Jere McElhaney said. “But sometimes inconvenience is the price of improvement.”