The Birmingham City Council recently appointed a Birmingham-based engineering firm to complete services on the condemned bridge over Grants Mill Road in southeastern Jefferson County.

During its May 25 meeting, the City Council agreed to pay $49,630 to appoint MBA Structural Engineers Inc. to complete bridge pier analysis and structural engineering services for the bridge.

The appointment marked the most recent step toward the city’s plan to replace the bridge, which has been closed since December 2009.

Although the bridge lies in Jefferson County, thousands of Shelby County residents used the bridge to commute from Alabama 119 in North Shelby to Interstate 459 before Birmingham officials closed the 74-year-old structure.

Since the bridge was closed, motorists have been forced to drive several miles past Grants Mill Road to Ziegler Road, and then south on Rex Lake Road to get back to Grants Mill Road.

Earlier this year, Birmingham officials applied for federal grant money to help replace the bridge.

Once work begins on the bridge, Shelby County Highway Department officials will provide manpower to help Birmingham and Jefferson County crews replace the structure.