Repairs to the pedestrian/golf

cart bridge over Ga. Highway 54 near Willowbend Road are being delayed,

creating the possibility the work won't be done until late this year.

The bridge has been closed to golf cart traffic since May after problems

were found with the bridge's approach spans. Pedestrians and bike riders

can still use the bridge, however.

The city received a complaint May 17 that there was vibration occurring

on the bridge. After an inspection revealed the approach spans were sagging,

the bridge was closed to traffic.

Golf cart traffic has been rerouted to a temporary cart path that takes

travelers across Hwy. 54 at Northlake Drive and Willowbend Road. A signal

activation button has been placed there to insure that golf cart drivers

receive a green signal to cross when vehicle traffic wouldn't normally

trip a light.

The city has ordered steel spans to replace the current wooden ones in

the hopes they will last much longer. But delivery of the spans from Steadfast

Bridges of Ft. Payne, Ala. isn't expected until October at the earliest,

said city engineer Troy Besseche.

"Then, with four or five weeks for a construction pe riod,

we could be pushing December," Besseche said.

The city had planned for the bridge to be open by now to the golf cart

traffic, Besseche noted.

The company has experienced production delays and got a large number of

orders over the summer, Besseche said. The city is paying about $82,000

for the three spans, and construction will cost an additional $88,000.

Meanwhile, the city is designing another golf cart bridge to cross Flat

Creek just south of Crosstown Drive, Besseche said. Eventually, that bridge

will connect with cart paths that will lead to the southern end of the

city's industrial park, he added.