(Michigan City, IN) - The Franklin St. draw bridge at Michigan City’s lakefront will be completely closed for the next few months beginning Thursday.

The bridge will be undergoing just over $1.3 million in repairs. Project Manager Andy Skwiat said there will be no motor vehicle or pedestrian traffic allowed on the bridge until the repairs are finished.  The goal is to complete the work by March 15.

“If the weather cooperates and the work goes well, we might be able to get it open before then,” Skwiat said.

Skwiat said the bridge will be closed to all traffic beginning at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday. Barricades along with chain link fencing will be put up to make sure no vehicles or pedestrians can navigate across the historic span.

La Porte County government, which owns and operates the bridge, has spent several million dollars over the past few years on rehabilitating it during the winter so it can reopen to accommodate the busy summer travel season.

Skwiat said he expects the bridge to be fully restored within “another year or two.  It’ll be a very nice structure for its age,” he said.