The bridges on Hwy. 84 over the Flint River are scheduled for rehabilitation work by the Georgia Department of Transportation next summer.
Each of the two bridges crossing over the river will be closed for one week apiece. Neither bridge will be closed during the same week the other is.
DoT Communications Officer Nita Birmingham said the actual rehabilitation process will take longer than two weeks, but the closure of the bridges will only last during that time.
“It will be an active construction zone longer than that, so people will still see the barrels and cones out there,” Birmingham said.
During each bridge’s closure, detour routes will be implemented to keep up with traffic flow. A route has not been nailed down yet, but proposals include the detour taking traffic through West Street, Sims Street and Dothan Rd.
Bainbridge Public Works Director Steve Winburn, who has been working with the DoT for this rehabilitation process, said the bridges were built in 1958 and are in need of a check up.
“Our leads are heavier and there is more traffic these days,” Winburn said. “Those bridges are several pieces and they expand and contract—as concrete does. So they’re redoing all the joints and hangers under the bridge.”
Proposed work will consist of small repairs on the substructure, diaphragms, zone painting of the steel beams and bearings, bridge deck rehabilitation and joint replacements. All work will be conducted inside the existing right-of-way on the bridges.
“This will actually take care of the bridges where they won’t need maintenance for another 30 years,” Bainbridge City Manager Chris Hobby said. “I think it’s been a while since they’ve gotten some rehab work. It’s a good project and keeps us safe.”
Bainbridge residents can have an opportunity to provide comments on potential detour routes at dot.ga.gov. The project’s plans can be viewed there and also in hardcopy form at the DoT Area office located in Donalsonville at 734 W. Crawford St.