The long anticipated Bonforte Bridge repairs have been pushed back and are now scheduled to take place from May to August 2016.

The repairs, which were set to begin in May 2015, were pushed back one year, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation’s “Traffic Watchers” publication and campus officials.

Originally scheduled to take place over the course of the summer, work on the bridge was halted when Xcel Energy discovered that a gas main running across the bridge could not be removed and replaced in the time allotted for the project, according to Deborah Proctor, CSU-Pueblo’s project manager. She said CDOT could not safely begin work on the bridge until the gas main was completely removed.

The new gas main runs from the Belmont subdivision, along Troy Avenue and connects to the existing gas lines near Wolf Village.

The new start date for the bridge project is May 4. The repairs will include strengthening of worn concrete and the rebuilding of the entire bridge deck, which will allow for widening of the sidewalks and the addition and improvement of safety measures.

The construction is expected to shut down the bridge for certain periods of time. The city bus schedule to the campus will also be affected.

Proctor said her office will make frequent announcements to keep the community and campus informed of progress or other changes.