Nebraska and Iowa will take over ownership of the Decatur toll bridge over the Missouri River following approval Friday by the Nebraska State Highway Commission.

Officials have been discussing an ownership transfer agreement since the mid-1960s.

The bridge carries Nebraska Highway 51 traffic east and Iowa Highway 175 west over the Missouri River. It's situated at Decatur, Nebraska, about eight miles west of Onawa, Iowa. During peak summer months, about 2,000 vehicles a day use the bridge.

The Burt County Bridge Commission owns the span, but county officials have said maintenance and repairs are too costly for the county to keep it. The transfer of ownership is expected by the end of the year.