It has been 66 years since the West McIntosh Road bridge over the Flint River east of Brooks was completed. Its $3.1 million replacement has been approved by the Ga. Department of Transportation (DOT) and is expected to be open in late 2017.
And if you use that bridge from Brooks to Griffin, you’ll have to detour east to the Ga. Highway 92 bridge to get across the Flint River for more than a year.
DOT on March 8 said a bridge construction contract valued at $3.1 million was awarded for the construction of a bridge and approaches on West McIntosh Road over the Flint River in Fayette and Spalding counties.
Replacement of the existing bridge is required due to its low sufficiency rating. The existing bridge has substandard load capacity, structural integrity, guardrail and deck geometry. The replacement will meet current standards, including wider lanes and shoulders, improved barrier walls, guardrail at approaches and allow removal of weight restrictions, according to DOT.
The current bridge is 25.8 feet in width while the replacement bridge will have a width of 31.25 feet.
The bridge work will come with posted detours. The official detour will be (traveling on West McIntosh Road from Brooks) — to Grant Road to Lowery Road to Ga. Highway 92 and on to Vaughn Road in Spalding County and back to West McIntosh Road.
The expected completion date for the new bridge is November 2017.
Fayette County Public Works Director Phil Mallon said costs will be funded with a combination of federal aid and funds from Fayette and Spalding.
The federal aid contribution for construction is currently programmed at $1,921,122 and the balance of the construction cost will be pro-rated between the counties.
“Staff is in the process, however, of working with the Atlanta Regional Commission to increase the amount of federal aid,” said Mallon.
Mallon said The design phase of the project has been funded jointly by Fayette and Spalding Counties. Fayette used 2005 to 2010 Transportation SPLOST dollars for its share.
