Nearly a year after construction began, the Kasold Drive bridge project over the Kansas Turnpike is slated to be completed this spring.

But don’t expect to be able to drive over it. Work on Kasold south to near Peterson Road will continue until it is finished in the fall, said Dena Mezger, Lawrence assistant public works director.

Kasold north of Peterson is being turned into a wide, two-lane street, sometimes called a “super two,” Mezger said. It will be expandable to four lanes if needed in the future, she said.

Bridge workers hope to be pouring concrete for the deck of the bridge in about three weeks, Mezger said.

The new bridge will be long enough to span six lanes as the turnpike is widened in the future.

The new bridge is expected to cost $3.2 million, and the road work is costing $4.3 million. The entire road and bridge project is a joint effort involving the city, Douglas County and the Kansas Turnpike Authority.