The two-year project to replace the U.S. 1 bridges over St. Sebastian River between Brevard and Indian River counties is under way. Total cost: nearly $19 million.

Demolition of the southbound U.S. 1 Bridge should begin early next year. Southbound traffic has already been diverted to the northbound lane at the Brevard-Indian River County border.

A walkway was built so workers can access a barge in the river to continue their work, said John Ward, project manager for contractor Misener Marine Construction of Tampa.

Hector Matos, project manager for the state Department of Transportation, said traffic has been moving smoothly during construction so far.

The new bridges will be wider and have a higher clearance for boats.

Each deck will be 44 feet wide with 12-foot lanes, a 10-foot shoulder and 10-foot pedestrian lane separated from traffic lanes by a concrete barrier wall. The vertical boat clearance will be 13 feet at the lowest and 17.9 feet at the mean low water level.

The northbound bridge was built in 1927 and the southbound bridge, which was in worse shape, was built in the 1950s. The new southbound bridge should be completed by the end of 2008.

"They served drivers well, but their time has come," Matos said.

Work began Nov. 14, and over the Thanksgiving weekend, there was a fatal motorcycle accident near the work site that prompted state officials to revise traffic safety. Matos said a review of the accident report showed the accident was not caused as a result of the construction work. Improvements have been made, however, and no other accidents have occurred.

Demolition of the southbound bridge will take about five months, Ward said. When the southbound bridge is finished, the bridge will open to temporary two-way traffic for construction of the northbound bridge.

Bob Miller, who lives in Micco, said the detour is mildly annoying, but the work needs to be done because the bridges were heavily damaged during the 2004 hurricanes.

"And the higher clearance will allow boats to come in during bad weather as a safe harbor," he said.