As a follow up to my story yesterday, I'll now provide details on The Kilbourn Avenue Bridge and a comment.

The Kilbourn Bridge is scheduled to close on July 9, after Summerfest ends.

According to Cecilia Gilbert, permits and communications manager at the Department of Public Works, "All of the bridge's components -- structural, mechanical and electrical -- are in poor condition and need repair. It is a double leaf bascule bridge and is one of the last remaining bridges of its type."

A portion of the new bridge will have a designated bike route and the proposed plan involves pavement markings that will designate a 6-foot bike lane between North Water Street and the west end of the Bridge. The outside six feet of either side of the bridge deck grating will be treated with slip-resistant coating to accommodate bike traffic.

Construction cost is $16.5 million (80 percent Federal/State Bridge Replacement funds, 20 percent city funds) The contractor is Edward Kraemer and Sons which has already begun some work underneath the bridge.

It is scheduled for completion in October 2008.

So, there's the scoop on what will hopefully be another successful Downtown bridge repair and rebirth.

Now a comment and strong suggestion. With the pending closing of Kilbourn, it's now high time that the city change Wells Street to a two-way street.

We'll need better access in and out of the neighborhood and it makes no sense to have this highway running east through our city. Do it now.