Toccoa Creek Bridge Replacement Nearing Completion

A Stephens County bridge replacement project could be done as early as next month if all goes well.

Georgia Department of Transportation Spokesperson Katie Strickland said that crews are finishing up work on the bridge over Toccoa Creek on State Route 184, or Prather Bridge Road.

“The expected date the bridge should be back open to traffic is January 25, 2017,” said Strickland. “Our contractor, Baldwin Paving Company, plans to be putting down asphalt sometime early next week, weather permitting. The bridge deck, or the driving surface, is done. The approaches, or where the roadway meets the bridge, are being constructed and those areas that use the asphalt over the top of the concrete are what I am talking about when I say they will be doing asphalt, weather permitting, next week.”

While the bridge has been closed, the DOT has had drivers taking a detour route around the bridge that involved Highview Road, Old Rothell Road, and Camp Mikell Road.

Strickland said that crews have made good time on completing this project and getting the road and bridge back open if all continues as planned.

“The job was let, or bid to a contractor, in February 2016, and the completion date, or the contract time, was not until August 31, 2017, so if everything gets done and we open the roadway January 25, this could be done several months before schedule,” said Strickland.

The bridge that was replaced was a 76-year-old bridge over Toccoa Creek.

Baldwin Paving of Marietta was awarded the project with a low bid of $2.3 million.