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.
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.
Copyright The Associated Press