Traci Christian has always been skeptical about whether the Odneal Road bridge would ever get replaced.

DRC/Barron Ludlum

Denton County commissioners on Tuesday took steps to replace Odneal Road bridge. Construction is scheduled to begin this summer and is expected to last four months. In the meantime, those looking to traverse the area must continue to use a low-water crossing.

View larger More photos Photo store

Repeatedly, people told her construction on the bridge, which she lives just feet from, would begin within weeks. But months later, Christian and her neighbors are still getting across North Hickory Creek via a low-water crossing.

Now, it appears construction is really right around the corner.

Denton County commissioners on Tuesday took steps to replace the bridge by awarding a replacement project worth $449,886 to Ed Bell Con­struction Co.

County officials had estimated the bridge would cost $462,000.

Construction for the bridge is expected to begin in the summer, and it should take a maximum of four months to complete, said Robin Davis, the county’s project coordinator.

As part of a state and federal program, the county will get credit for the bridge from the Texas Department of Transportation. That will save the county more than $3 million, Davis said.

“It is saving the county so much money,” Davis said. “It’s taken some time, because we couldn’t do anything until the state approved it.”

The county closed the bridge in 2006 because of safety concerns and built a low-water crossing to allow drivers to bypass the closed bridge until it was completed, Davis said.

However, Christian said the low-water crossing presents its own set of problems. Heavy rains can make the crossing impassable, and after storms, the crossing is awash with gravel, making it difficult to cross, she said.

“It’s manageable, but it’s still a pain,” she said. “Usually, it doesn’t flood for a long period of time, but it’s a problem. If they would just deal with it, it wouldn’t be as big of an issue.”

County officials have talked about the bridge being replaced for the past two years, but little has been done, Christian said. Christian is still waiting for something a little more concrete to happen.

“I will believe it when I see it,” she said. “I am cautiously optimistic.”

DAN X. McGRAW can be reached at 940-566-6875. His e-mail address is dmcgraw@dentonrc.com .