Starting Wednesday, Fairport residents will need to add time to their commute if they typically take the Main Street lift bridge.

Detours are posted for pedestrians and the thousands of drivers that typically cross the canal everyday as bridge repairs begin.

The village has been working with the New York state Department of Transportation on the timeline, and even delayed the start date.

"We went to the public last spring talking about this project. People really got a good first-hand look at what we were doing more than a year and a half ago," DOT spokesperson Jordan Guerrein said. "This bridge hasn't seen these types of upgrades that we are going to be doing in about thirty years. The bridge is certainly safe for travel but in order to keep facilitating travel for the next 20 to 30 years we need to put some serious work into it."

The lift bridge is a point of pride for the village. Fairport Mayor Julie Domaratz said it's still business as usual.

"Our village is still open for business. There is ample parking. We looking forward to visitors and residents alike to come into our village," Domaratz said. "We have the "Fairport on the Rise Trail" with markings along Main Street to Packett's Landing over the Parker Street bridge and back down lift bridge and onto Main Street. There is a low-speed electric shuttle coming as well that will take people around as well."  

The 105-year-old bridge will reopen November 2020.