A new bridge will be constructed along County Road 1055 as part of a county improvement project.

Douglas County commissioners on Wednesday unanimously approved proceeding with a project to replace a bridge about three-quarters of a mile south of County Road 458 and improve curves in the road just south of the bridge.

“There’s always some dislocation and heartache with a construction project,” Commission Chairman Charles Jones said. “But I look at the economics and it makes sense. When I look at the accident data, it doesn’t show that the roads are functioning properly.”

The commission held a public hearing about the project. About 20 residents and property owners attended the hearing. But just two people expressed their concerns to the commission.

Cedar Hill Gun Club co-owner Dennis O’Bryon was concerned that the change in the road alignment would affect his business. The road would be closer to the club, he said.

“We haven’t had any accidents and we don’t want any,” O’Bryon said. Replacing the bridge needs to be done, he said, but the curves don’t need to be replaced.

Commissioner Bob Johnson said he understood O’Bryon’s point of view.

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“But the bridge has to be replaced, and when you have to deal with that you should look at the other parts,” he said.

The project involves 3,150 feet of roadway and will cost about $950,000 in construction. Replacing the bridge and the closest curve to the bridge would have cost $789,265, county engineer Keith Browning said. It would cost $499,542 to replace the second curve at a later date, he added.

The constructed bridge would be 40 feet wide with two 12-inch lanes and 8-inch shoulders. It would be immediately east of the existing bridge, Browning said.

Improvements in the two curves immediately south of the bridge would allow for a 24-inch travel way and 8-inch paved shoulders. The curves also would have a posted speed limit of 55 mph, up from 40 mph.