MOUNT VERNON — The first step toward building a new bridge across the Kokosing has begun. City Engineer Cameron Keaton and County Engineer Jim Henry have begun a planning study as required by the Ohio Department of Transportation to properly ascertain the requirements for a new bridge.

“The preliminary planning study is to evaluate all possible alternatives for improving the traffic flow across the viaduct,” Keaton said.

He said the last ODOT traffic count is a few years old, but that current estimates state there are about 30,000 vehicle crossings over the bridge every day. It is believed a new bridge would relieve the traffic bottleneck.