The replacement project for the Main Street Bridge in Niles appears set to begin sometime next month, although officials with the Michigan Department of Transportation were not able to confirm a start date.

Joe Ray, Public Works director for the City of Niles, said he heard that the project is set to begin tentatively on Oct. 13, with a complete closure of the bridge beginning Oct. 8.

That information came from an owner of Anlann, Inc., the contractor working on the MDOT project. Ray said he spoke to the owner earlier this week and stressed that the schedule is not set in stone.

MDOT spokesman Nick Schirippa said he is not able to confirm details at this time.

“We are still in the contract review process,” he said Thursday morning.

If the project is a go for mid October, Ray said the contractor’s goal is to re-open the bridge to traffic sometime in November of 2015, with final completion in May 2016.

When the bridge is closed, Main Street will be fenced off from Front to State streets on either side of the bridge.

Traffic will be detoured to the Broadway Bridge at an estimated 15,000 vehicles per day.

“The biggest concern I have is what it is going to do to traffic around town,” Ray said. “It will be a mess.”