VALENTINE, Neb. — A major detour east of Valentine may soon come to an end. After months of construction, a new Highway 12 bridge over the Minnechaduza Creek is tentatively set to open next week.

The $2.8 million project has been in the works for years. In fact, discussions about replacing the aging bridge stretch back more than 15 years.

“There were some cracks forming in the steel that had to be watched,” said Darrell Lurz, the project manager. “It could have ended up being closed if an inspection showed it was at risk.”

“It is a very exciting improvement. It was a fractured critical bridge for the state of Nebraska,” said NDOT Construction Tech  Lead Inspector Keifer Klabenes.

For the past seven months, construction crews have worked just east of Valentine, where the scenic setting has made the job a little more enjoyable.

“Always the place where we build a bridge is unique. This is a pretty nice office to be in every day,” Lurz said.

That doesn’t mean it’s been easy. According to Project Foreman Russell Braun, the new span includes some of the largest components used in Nebraska.

“These are the second largest girders set in the state of Nebraska so far,” Braun said. “They’re 176 feet long and six foot six tall.”

“And it took a crane that arrived with 27 semi loads,” said Lurz.

The project has had a major impact on local drivers. Since the bridge closed, travelers have faced a roughly 20-mile detour, complete with more than 200 traffic control signs.

“When we can get rid of 200 signs for the detour, it will feel even better than Christmas Day,” Klabenes said.

If final steps go as planned, that moment may come shortly after Easter.

“It is fun. It is fun, and you’re proud of what you’ve built. You really are,” said Lurz.