SKANEATELES — Skaneateles Mayor Mary Sennett was recently informed that as of last week, the Village of Skaneateles has completed phase 1, initial design, of the Kelley Street Bridge project.

The orange barriers on the bridge have been in place for a long time and residents wonder if there will ever be a new bridge, Sennett said in a press release.

The answer is yes, there will be a new bridge, she went on to say in the press release.

In 2018 the village applied for a grant to replace the bridge.

In 2019 the grant for the bridge replacement was awarded.

The grant requires the village to follow dictated federal aid reimbursement procedures in order to receive funding.

The schedule requires phase 2, the detailed design, be submitted by September 2023.

The construction of the new bridge will take place after that and should be completed by September 2024, Sennett said in the press release.

The new bridge will include a safer pedestrian walkway, and most of the costs will be covered by the grant.

It will be worth the wait, Sennett said in the press release.