The only drawbridge connecting Vermont's Lake Champlain islands is being demolished.

WPTZ-TV reports a temporary draw bridge is now in place along U.S. Route 2 providing uninterrupted access from the island of Grand Isle to North Hero.

The temporary bridge opens at the top of every hour, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., to let boats cross from what's known as Lake Champlain's inland sea into the broad lake.

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The old drawbridge was built in 1953 and it had become increasingly unreliable.

The $61 million replacement bridge, expected to open in two years, will be among the most expensive ever built in Vermont.