A vital, and long unused, bridge in a buzzy Houston neighborhood is finally set for repair. The MKT Bridge, out of use since it was significantly damaged by a fire in August 2020, is set for on-site construction, the Houston Parks Board announced.

Work is set to resume in March, specifically after steel is fabricated for repair, as the bridge is 100 years old.

Per an email, construction is estimated to be complete in late summer 2022, weather permitting. An average of nearly 1,200 people used the bridge each day before it was closed, per the Leader News’s Adam Zuvanich.

As the Houston Chroniclereports, the bridge was closed in August 2020 after a fire damaged part of the supports. Repair work started June 2021; it was then that crews discovered additional damage that was previously hidden beneath the bridge's infrastructure.

Neighborhood associations, bike advocates, and citizens have pressured the board to expedite repairs, which require plan approval from the city and Harris County Flood Control District.

This comes at pivotal time for the MKT area: In September, as CultureMap reported, the City of Houston announced a crucial trail connector that will address a missing link between the MKT Trail and White Oak Bayou Greenway in The Heights. This 850-foot trail connection is one of the last critical pieces needed for these two hike-and-bike trail systems.