An almost 18-million dollar contract was awarded today to replace the Nine Span Bridge in Hammond over the railroad yards. INDOT Spokesman Matt Deitchley says the contract was awarded to Dunnet Bay Construction of Glendale Heights, Illinois, and that the demolition work could begin as soon as the end of the month or early January. Deitchley says replacing the Nine Span Bridge, or State Road 152 Bridge, is something they have been looking to do for awhile now, due to the age of the structure, and a per-construction meeting to be held in the next couple of weeks will determine the details of a where motorists will be detoured while the project is taking place. Deitchley says the goal is to have the project completed by November of 2013.

# # #