(WJET/WFXP/YourErie.com)– City of Erie officials unveiled the next step for the Kahwa Bridge Project to residents at their second public input session on the project.

Wednesday night, city officials along with TranSystems Engineering Consultants gave residents an update on the plans they selected for the Kahkwa Bridge Project which included  a new single-span, bulb-tee Kahkwa Boulevard Bridge.

During the meeting, officials said the plans are 70 percent complete, costing between $1.5 and $1.7 million and will be funded by the $5 Erie County Local Use Fee which was designated to help fund infrastructure improvements around the city through the Erie Metropolitan Authority.

The project team said they expect the final plans to be completely developed in December with a bid package in January 2024 before construction starts in the spring which they expect to take three to five months.

Residents were presented with project alternatives and given the oppertunity to voice their thoughts on the project during the first public meeting in February.

A survey of residents conducted by the city during the spring 2022 found that a majority of them requested a vehicular bridge with enhanced sidewalks for pedestrians and cyclists.

The original Kahkwa Bridge was built in 1920 serving pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicular traffic on Kahkwa Boulevard over Ravine Drive before it was demolished back in Oct. 2021 due to advanced deteriorating condition.

Anyone that was unable to attend the meeting can rewatch a stream of it on the City’s Facebook and submit their comments on the project online here.

For more on the story, tune into FOX66 News tonight at 10 p.m.