LANCASTER, Wis. -- A key bridge under reconstruction on the highway that links Bloomington and Lancaster could reopen by the end of the month.

Porter's Bridge spans the Grant River on Wisconsin 35/81 and has been closed to traffic since mid-spring.

"People ask me when it will open and I'm told the end of October," said Dave Lambert, Grant County highway commissioner. "We're still on schedule."

Lambert said the completion prediction, like any road project, is totally dependent on the weather.

"Let's say you have the normal rain delays and the loss of working days, then you plan on mid-November," he said. "Then you'll be safe."

Lambert said the state-financed project is worth the $850,000 price tag. He said the bridge was narrow, had a height restriction with an overhead truss and wasn't easy to paint.

Its replacement is a wider, three-span, concrete girder bridge with a 4-foot high railing and a heavier load capacity.

"People are going to notice a big difference," Lambert said. "Let's say a farmer is pulling a hay wagon and somebody is approaching from the opposite direction. Both will have room to get across. That wasn't always the case. It served its time when there was less traffic, but it doesn't satisfy today's traffic needs."

Travelers from the Dubuque area en route to Prairie du Chien usually drive on Wisconsin 35/81. The bridge closure has caused a major detour for travelers not familiar with the area. The detour is Grant County N to Grant County U to Beetown, and then Wisconsin 81 back to 35. A lot of local traffic uses Grant County A as a detour route. Others use a combination of Slabtown and Budworth School roads, a windy, hilly and narrow alternative.

"The locals know that route and fortunately we haven't had any serious accidents," Lambert said.