The Marsh Street bridge in San Luis Obispo will be completely replaced following a unanimous vote by the City Council earlier this week.

The 104-year-old bridge at Santa Rosa Street is deteriorating, resulting in breaks in its concrete surface and exposed rebar beneath it.

The council approved the $4.4 million project to remove and replace the bridge instead just fixing portions of it. That cost could grow to as much as $7.1 million. However, only $504,680 of that will come from the city; the remaining cost of the project will be paid using federal grant money.

Daryl Grigsby, public works director, said the bridge is in the worst condition of all 20 of the bridges in the city.

Nearby businesses that will be directly affected by the construction of the new bridge asked the council to make sure the city communicate with them during that process.

Bart Devaney, the owner of Sunset North Car Wash, said that it will be hard for customers to get to his car wash on Marsh Street during construction, and he hoped the city would help alleviate access issues.

The new 60-foot-long and 69-foot-wide bridge will be 15 feet longer than the existing one, and be built to allow for better flow of the San Luis Obispo Creek below it.

Erosion of the creek bank has caused significant damage in that area in the past.

Mike McGuire, city engineer, said the construction of the new bridge should alleviate some of those problems.

Cost of trash service going up

At its meeting Tuesday evening, the council also unanimously approved increased garbage rates for San Luis Obispo citizens.

The 3.4 percent rate increase will would go into effect Feb. 1. Residential customers who now pay $12.61 a month will pay $13.04 a month with the increase. Those who pay $25.22 a month will pay $26.08 a month.

The last rate increase was 4.6 percent in November 2011. Prior to that, an increase had not been imposed by San Luis Garbage Co. since January 2009.

Reach AnnMarie Cornejo at 781-7939. Stay updated by following @a_cornejo on Twitter.