Reconstruction of the Susquehanna Avenue bridge is being held off until next week, alleviating some concerns about traffic flow during the busy Hall of Fame Induction weekend, officials said Tuesday.

Ron Tiderencel, Otsego County highway superintendent, said work would begin next Tuesday, well after the weekend rush. Construction was originally scheduled to begin in May, but he said they had to wait until some of the permits came in, a typical source of delay when it comes to projects partially funded by the federal government.

Tiderencel said he did not expect the delay to set back the estimated date for the project's completion and that the new bridge will probably be reopening by Nov. 30.

Cooperstown police chief Diana Nichols said she was glad that the bridge would be open for the weekend, as it would save them from having to detour traffic from the village to the induction ceremony grounds at the Clark Sports Center.

"We are happy to have the Susquehanna Avenue bridge open this weekend," she said. "It will make the traffic flow so much smoother than we had anticipated."

The project is a total replacement of the current bridge, which Tiderencel said was built in 1928 and was in rough shape. Sewer, water and utility lines would also be replaced, he said. He said the new bridge would be essentially the same as the current bridge and would last a minimum of 50 years.

The road will be closed and vehicular traffic detoured during construction, but a temporary foot bridge will be built to pedestrian traffic, Tiderencel said.

The bridge replacement is expected to cost approximately $2 million dollars and will be paid for with a combination of local state and federal funds with the greatest share come from the federal government.

"I think once it's done, people are going to be happy," Tiderencel said.

As part of the overall project, he said the school would be extending a sidewalk along the south side of Walnut Street and that the Clark Sports Center was planning to install a sidewalk along the west side of Susquehanna Avenue from Walnut Street to their facility, making it so kids would no longer have to cross the road multiple times while heading to the sports center.

"I think it's a wonderful thing and a long time coming," he said.