When Staffordshire County Council announced that it was to close St Peter's Bridge for three months, social media was awash with ideas on how to navigate the town without coming to a standstill, stuck in our cars.
Among the creative ideas were taking a helicopter to work, dusting off the pushbikes and even a ferry service along the River Trent.
We took a look back at when the latter was reality and are asking, what would happen if we brought back the Dingle Belle, a restored lifeboat which ferried people along the River Trent in the nineties.
Ex-lorry driver Peter Staley, of Ferry Cottage, Stapenhill, used the refurbished craft to carry up to 30 passengers at a time on the river, a concept that could prove handy when St Peter's bridge closes to traffic and walkers later this month.
Trips would leave from a concrete jetty Mr Staley constructed at the bottom of his garden and he hoped to attract tourists, school trips and anyone else interested in seeing Burton from the water. The entire scheme was dependent on Mr Staley being granted planning permission for the operation, and jetty facilities would be boosted with toilets and seating.
Mr Staley wanted to carry 50 passengers in the motorpowered lifeboat once used as a tourist attraction at the Marquis of Bath's stately home, Longleat, but the Department of Transport said he would only be permitted to carry 30.
Mr Staley also needed to have the boat checked over by department officials and he needed to pass a special test in the craft. The project was a success with boat trips using Dingle Belle taking place for a number of years.
The Dingle Belle was not the only way to cruise the waterways in Burton as college lecturer Viv Pope found out in June 1978.
The then 47-year-old decided to paddle his own canoe in an effort to beat Burton's rush hour traffic chaos after growing tired of braving the town’s one and only river crossing to get to and from work.
Mr Pope fitted an old lawn mower engine to the back of his canvas canoe and decided his way to work would take him under Burton Bridge rather than across it.
Speaking in 1978, Mr Pope said: "It gave me quite a kick to go under the bridge knowing that I had missed all the frustration of a traffic jam. By road, from where I live in Newton Road, it can take me half an hour to get to work by the river it takes around 15 minutes."
His canoeing idea came as a result of encouraging his students to be more inventive. His lawnmower-powered canoe was a working example they could study when he moored it alongside the college.
What Burton Mail readers are saying
Since news of the impending bridge closure broke, Burton and South Derbyshire residents have been taking to social media to share their thoughts and frustration about the essential works.
Roger Cookson wrote: "The work obviously needs doing as they don’t do this sort of thing just to mess folk up. I think it is time to dust off the unused push bikes and think of the benefits."
Stella Harvey said: "Oh what congestion there is going to be" while Steve Wright said: "Chaos will happen, town is dreadful now."
Roy Smith branded the plans a "nightmare" while Emma Davies said she feels sorry for the shops as "this is going to have a massive impact as people will not go to Burton."
Nicole Marie suggested that High Street is opened so that traffic coming over the bridge can turn left instead of sending all the traffic down Guild Street.
Jonathan Fletcher added: "What happens if…When a crash happens on the old bridge? Or another pothole appears?"
