Lauderdale County officials are bracing for a planned road closure along Dale Drive this week as work is set to begin on a long-awaited bridge replacement.

Detour signage is set to go up Tuesday with the bridge, which is located between the Hamasa Temple Shrine and East Gate Tire in Marion, being closed Wednesday for demolition.

“It will be shut down for the duration,” Road Manager Rush Mayatt said. “Hopefully sometime in November it’ll be back open.”

The Dale Drive bridge is one of the busiest in Lauderdale County, and officials are hoping the majority of that traffic will take the Highway 45 bypass to detour around the construction. Local traffic will need to utilize Marion Drive, which runs parallel to Dale Drive.

Mayatt previously warned both county and Town of Marion officials the planned closure would be an inconvenience for everyone involved.

In a letter to residents, Marion Mayor Larry Gill said it was a necessary disruption to guarantee the safety of the town’s residents.

“We understand that this closure may cause inconveniences, and we sincerely apologize for any disruptions to your daily routines,” he said in the letter. “However, the safety of our residents is our utmost priority, and this maintenance work is crucial to ensuring the continued reliability of our infrastructure.”

District 2 Supervisor Wayman Newell, whose district includes Marion, said the bridge has long needed attention. Personally, he said, he has been involved in efforts to have the bridge addressed for roughly 10 years.

“It’s been a long time coming,” he said. “The bridge has been in bad shape for a long time. I’m glad this is one that we’re going to be able to take care of in the very near future, and it’ll be open as soon as possible.”

Demolition of the old bridge and the new bridge construction is being done by Joe McGee Construction, which was awarded the project at a cost of $1.3 million. The project is being funded through a $1.1 million grant from the state Emergency Road and Bridge Repair fund as well as roughly $200,000 from Lauderdale County.

The contract for the project calls for work to be completed within 90 working days, which can vary based on weather, ground conditions and other factors. Newell said he hopes to have the bridge back open as soon as possible.

“Hopefully everything goes to plan, and that bridge will be ahead of schedule,” he said.

Plans to three lane Dale Drive from the bridge to the four-way intersection of Dale Drive and Lindley Road, as well as changing the intersection from a four-way stop to a roundabout, were removed from the project due to cost.

The new bridge, however, will be a three-lane bridge, Gill said, which will set the town up to complete the other projects when other funds become available.