Concrete Pouring Happening for New SR 17 Bridge Today, Monday

The new State Route 17 bridge at the Stephens-Franklin County line will start taking another step forward over the next few days if the weather cooperates.

Georgia Department of Transportation Spokesperson Teri Pope said that if the weather permits, crews will start pouring concrete for the new northbound State Route 17 bridge today.

Pope said that pouring concrete will not require any lane closures along that stretch of Highway 17.

However, she said the DOT still wants motorists to be aware that it will be taking place.

“It really is very interesting to see the bridge go up and to see pieces start to come together to form a bridge,” said Pope. “That is why we wanted to let people know this is happening because it could create some pretty big ‘onlooker delays’ watching this stuff happen, so we want folks to know what is happening and understand so we will hopefully not have a lot of back-up on 17.”

Pope said pouring the concrete will start to tie all the pieces of the bridge together into one structure.

“The very first pieces of the bridge were the vertical concrete columns that came up out of the ground,” said Pope. “Then, we had two columns parallel to one another and we poured a concrete cap horizontal, to make almost like a ‘T’ shape. On top of those columns and caps, we put the bridge beams horizontally. Once we got all the bridge beams in place, we welded steel plates in between the beams and into those steel plates is where you pour the concrete.”

According to Pope, the new northbound State Route 17 bridge has four spans.

She said crews plan to pour the first span today and then the second one on Monday.

According to Pope, after that, they will schedule the remaining pours on both the northbound bridge and then the southbound bridge, if the weather holds.

This bridge is all part of the project to widen State Route 17 to four lanes from the Franklin-Stephens County line to Memorial Drive in Toccoa.

The whole project is scheduled for completion in the Spring of 2016.