Officials again delay opening bridge linking Iowa, Illinois

SABULA, Iowa (AP) - A key bridge connecting eastern Iowa with northwestern Illinois will remain closed even longer than earlier estimates.

The Dubuque Telegraph Herald reports Sabula Mayor Troy Hansen announced Thursday the bridge just outside the town won't open until September.

Since Iowa Department of Transportation officials ordered the bridge closed for safety reasons in February, the estimate for reopening the span have been pushed back from May to July and now Sept. 3.

The bridge provides access to a larger U.S. Highway 52/Illinois 64 bridge over the Mississippi River to Savanna, Illinois.

Motorists commuting from Sabula to Savanna, Illinois, or vice versa, must take a 36-mile (58-kilometer) detour.

State Sen. Tod Bowman says he'll discuss the matter with transportation officials.

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Information from: Telegraph Herald, http://www.thonline.com