After months of construction, the Cogburn Road bridge was officially reopened Friday afternoon just in time for school to start back next Monday.

“We resolved a dangerous situation here in two and a half months based on the efforts of these contractors,” said Mayor Pro Tem Bill Lusk. “Being a contractor myself I can really appreciate the work done here.”

Cogburn Road was closed May 19 to replace the bridge over Cooper Sandy Creek between Bethany Bend and Webb Road. Construction was finished on time despite several days of inclement weather.

At the city council meeting Aug. 6 District 1 Councilwoman Karen Thurman said she had already heard good reports from citizens about the bridge.

“I have received a lot of really positive comments about the fact that it actually opened on schedule,” she said, thanking the Hitson Construction contractors on a job well done.

The Cogburn Road bridge was identified in 2009 as a top priority in the city’s infrastructure inventory. According to traffic counts, more than 10,000 vehicles travel over the bridge a day.

Construction updates were provided on the city’s website every week so citizens could virtually follow the progress of the bridge.

The city held a ribbon cutting Friday morning and the road was officially open to drivers that afternoon.

“It’s going to be great for the safety of everybody who passes through Milton,” Lusk said. “Especially with the schools opening next week. It’s going to be a great improvement to access.”