ELMIRA, N.Y. (WENY) -- Part of the Clemens Center Bridge in Elmira has been under repair since a fire damaged the roadway in July, but according to the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), the bridge is expected to reopen later this month.

"The New York State Department of Transportation has commenced temporary repairs to the Clemens Center Parkway Bridge and expects to reopen the northbound lanes by the end of September," says Public Information Officer Josh Heller with NYSDOT. "Motorists should be prepared, however, for periodic, temporary lane closures as long-term repair work progresses."

The fire occurred on July 11th and damaged parts of the bridge including bearing and steel girders that needed to be replaced in order for the northbound lanes to reopen, and some final fixes are still needed.

"There still needs to be work done," says Elmira Mayor Dan Mandell. "My understanding from the Department of Transportation is that they've got some barriers that are going to get put in now on the road. It'll be fully safe when it's done. So when it opens up, it'll be a temporary fix. The final fix would be, they said, probably in a few months. There's going to be a bunch of inconvenience to the community. We may have to shut down the lane. I don't know if we really have. But for all intents and purposes, it should be ready in a couple of weeks."

NYSDOT says they have been working hard to complete those repairs on the northbound lanes.