Those looking forward to using a new pedestrian bridge at Lake Darling State Park will have to be patient.

The bridge, which was originally scheduled to be installed by October 12, has now been pushed to 2018. Park Ranger Zach Haworth says the Department of Natural Resources is letting the project for installation bids for a second time, with an expected completion date of late March or early April. Haworth says, “We knew it kind of going into it, but October was going to be a very aggressive timeline as far as getting that bridge put in place. And it’s one of those things you want to do it right the first time and get it right, so we kind of looked and reevaluated. We all wanted that bridge in as soon as possible and that’s great, but in the long run it’s going to be more beneficial to push that completion date back to really look at the project, again make sure that we have everything covered and go from there so that we get it right.”

The bridge is being constructed by Contech Engineered Solutions in Minnesota and will connect the silt dam and the fishing trail at the south end of Lake Darling. Haworth says he is excited for the bridge to be installed, and that park employees may be working on the abutments for it over the winter.