Kyle Green The Roanoke Times

Work has begun on the Wiley Drive low-water bridge replacement project, scheduled to last until March. Work on the bridge, located between Roanoke's Wasena and Smith parks, will temporarily close a key link of an extended greenway route that joggers, bikers and walkers use to follow the Roanoke River from Northwest to Southeast Roanoke.

One of the most popular recreation routes in the region is a no-go for a while.

The work to demolish and replace the low-water bridge between Roanoke's Wasena and Smith parks is now under way.

The bridge will remain closed at least until March. It's a key link of an extended greenway route that joggers, bikers and walkers use to follow the Roanoke River from Northwest to Southeast Roanoke. Now car traffic can't access Smith Park at all, and Wasena Park will become essentially a dead-end.

Last month the council accepted $80,850 in federal grants -- and set aside $100,000 in city funds -- to replace the bridge.

One group that will be affected over the next couple of months is the Star City Striders. The running group had scheduled a 10-mile race for later this month and a half-marathon for November. Both routes included stretches of the Roanoke River Greenway through Wasena Park and Smith Park.

Barry Brewer, race director for the half-marathon, has said the group is already planning to reroute the two races to avoid the closed bridge.

The upside to the work: Once the new bridge is finished, problems with it becoming flooded every time there's a substantial rain should be resolved.

-- The Roanoke Times