A major Fort Worth east-west thoroughfare connecting downtown to the cultural district is about to be off limits for a while.
The nearly $26 million reconstruction of the century-old 7th Street Bridge started Wednesday.
"I think it was time for a change," said Fort Worth resident Toni Elrod, out for a walk near the bridge on Sunday. "The bridge needed an update and it's going to be beautiful."
The new bridge's signature features -- massive new arches that will give the bridge a striking new look -- are sitting a couple blocks away behind Montgomery Plaza where Elrod lives. She watched as 12 precast arches were built over the past year away from the bridge site.
"It was great they did that," said Elrod. "I thought it was smart they did a lot of the building off site."
The bridge will be closed from May 8-14, then off and on -- mostly at night -- until mid-June. In June, it will be closed for five months. The new bridge should open before Thanksgiving.
"I'm still trying to figure out what my detour will be because I use seventh all the time for family and for work purposes," said Shannon Farris, Elrod's sister.
Drivers will need to detour on Lancaster Avenue which runs parallel with the bridge.
