A bridge near Rupp Arena will come down soon. Find out how traffic will be affected.

A bridge near Rupp Arena that connects Main and High streets will likely be closed by the end of October and demolished soon after.

On Tuesday, the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council took its first vote to approve demolition of the Jefferson Street bridge. City leaders have said the bridge needs to be torn down to make way for a $241 million Lexington Convention Center expansion and a proposed 10-acre Town Branch Park.

The city got control of the bridge in November 2017 from the state transportation cabinet, as part of a much larger road swap with the state.

Some council members and members of Main Street Baptist Church, which has buildings on each side of the bridge off Main Street, have previously raised questions about demolishing the bridge and the eventual loss of a parking lot under the bridge that Main Street Baptist church has long used. The city and the church later reached a tentative agreement last year that would allow the church to continue using part of the parking lot during construction of the convention center.

Demolition of the bridge will be paid for using part of the $241 million set aside for the convention center expansion. The city has contributed $30 million in borrowed funds for that project.

During Tuesday’s council work session, Brandi Peacher, a project manager for the city, said all traffic from the Jefferson Street bridge will be re-routed to the nearby Oliver Lewis Way bridge, which can handle the additional traffic.

The Oliver Lewis Way bridge is traveled by 16,500 vehicles a day, but can accomodate up to 36,000. The Jefferson Street bridge handles 6,500 vehicles a day.

“You will reduce the number of people turning, which will decrease traffic,” Peacher said. “It’s been reviewed by every division in government and there were no concerns — including traffic.”

The council is expected to take a final vote on the bridge demolition at its Oct. 11 meeting. Peacher said she will talk to businesses and neighborhoods affected by the closing after the final vote.

Elder Rorger Cornelius of Main Street Baptist Church said the church does not oppose demolition of the bridge. Afterward, the church would like to temporarily use the land where the bridge now stands for parking until the park is built, Cornelius said.

Some council members expressed concern about how the change would impact traffic.

Councilwoman Peggy Henson said she understands the bridge has to be taken down to accommodate Main Street Baptist Church and the proposed Town Branch Park, but she doesn’t like it. “We have so many traffic problems,” Henson said.

Councilman Richard Moloney agreed.

“It’s going to add another five to 10 minutes” to people’s commute on that side of town, he said.

Moloney was the only council member to vote against demolishing the bridge.

Bill Owen, the CEO and president of Lexington Center Corporation, which oversees Rupp Arena and the convention center, said closure of the bridge and demolition will happen quickly if the council votes to approve the demolition on Oct. 11. He did not have a specific time line.