The Times Union is reporting the new Prattsville Bridge is now open. One lane of the new Greene County span was opened to traffic October 1, the state Department of Transportation announced. The bridge carries Route 23 over the Schoharie Creek and is expected to be fully open before the end of the year as part of a $13 million project, the department said. One lane is open with alternating one-way traffic over the bridge, the main artery for the town. The original bridge, built in 1927, will be demolished by the end of the year, the DOT said. The finishing work will occur in the spring, including final paving, tree planting and additional landscaping. The new structure is downstream from the existing bridge. It is approximately 4.5 feet higher with a wider opening below for greater stream flow capacity to prevent future flooding, has a wider shoulder and includes a sidewalk. Along with the bridge, buildings and infrastructure in the town of Prattsville were severely damaged by Tropical Storm Irene in August 2011. Read the full story in the Times Union.