Work has started to demolish a bridge that has caused some problems for drivers just north of Toronto.

County road 47 is one of Jefferson County's busiest county roads with an estimated 2,000 cars passing through each day. From now until December, a portion of the road is closed to replace a bridge, a project costing nearly $250,000.

"It was a two-part structure. One half was probably built in the early 1900s. The second structure we built in the '50s or '60s. It experienced some flood damage and it was deteriorating, so it was due to be replaced," said county bridge engineer Jeff Oinonen.

Crews spent the day Friday demolishing the current bridge. The next step is to wait for the new structure -- pre-made concrete culverts -- to arrive.

"We will set them in, do our fill on top, reconstruct the roadway, reconstruct the guard rail and pave it. Project completion date is Dec. 15, but we are hoping to get it done well before that," Oinonen said.

In the meantime, detours are posted.

"I'd say the detour around this thing will take 10 to 15 minutes at most. Go down state Route 152 into county Road 7F," he said.

Oinonen said the project was ready to go back in January, but was delayed because of approvals from the Army Corps of Engineers.

"That took six and a half months to get approved so we had to bid it out after the approval of that Corps permit," said Oinonen.

Oinonen said half of the funding will come from the Ohio Public Works Commission with the other half from local resources.

Once again, the work is not expected to be finished until mid-December.