MARION COUNTY — The Marion County Highway Department continues its plea that truckers to stay off the Route 161 Extension Bridge over the Skillet Fork.

An emergency ten-ton weight limit was placed on the bridge last Friday when additional structural problems were found during paving repairs.

If heavy truck traffic continues, the highway department warns the bridge will have to be shut down to all traffic due to damage the heavy loads are causing.

If the bridge has to be closed, it would be up to four years before the process of obtaining and building a new bridge through the Illinois Department of Transportation project could be completed.

The Route 161 Extension is currently down to one lane traffic for the pavement repair project.