The long-awaited demolition and removal of the Bike Trail Bridge near Illinois Route 29 southeast of Taylorville began this week.

Crews are removing the old bridge to replace it with a newer model that doesn’t require supports to the creek bed.

Officials with the Lincoln Trail Bike Trail Conservency, the non profit organization overseeing the trail and helped get the state grant to replace the bridge, said the new bridge has already been built and is being shipped to the location to be installed.

Traffic on Route 29 may be one lane at times during the bridge demolition, removal, and installation of the new bridge.