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I-495 Bridge Repair Near Completion

Don Rush

DOVER, Del. (AP) - State transportation officials say final repairs to the Interstate 495 bridge over the Christina River should be completed by late this year or early next year.

Transportation Secretary Shailen Bhatt says the final cost probably will be a little less than $40 million, with the federal government picking up almost all the tab.

Bhatt said after presenting his fiscal 2016 budget request Wednesday that officials are still pursuing their legal options. Officials say several bridge columns tilted after a large mound of dirt was dumped next to them.

Bhatt's proposed operating budget for next year is about 1 percent less than this year, thanks to lower debt payments. DelDOT also is proposing to spend about $142 million in state funds for construction projects, down from about $155 million this year.

Don Rush is the News Director at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.