For months, drivers traveling between Dubuque, IA and East Dubuque, IL, have had to plan around lane closure of the Julien Dubuque Bridge. The Iowa Department of Transportation says the bridge is set to reopen to normal traffic operations at approximately 6 PM on Friday, August 7th. Those closures will only happen during working days while construction crews wrap up the final phase of the maintenance project. Crews still need to finish painting sections of the bridge's steel structure and apply protective concrete sealers to the bridge deck and railings. Crews repaired bridge deck joints, completed maintenance on the steel superstructure, repaired railings, sealed the bridge deck, and replaced the handrail along the adjacent pedestrian walkway.