The golf cart

and pedestrian bridge over Ga. Highway 54 in Peachtree City has been closed

to all traffic for significant repairs.

The bridge,

which opened in 1973, will have its wooden approach spans replaced with

steel ones, which are expected to last longer. The entire project is expected

to last until the first week of December, although the exact re-opening

date is unknown, said City Engineer Troy Besseche.

City officials

had hoped to have the bridge repaired by now, but the delivery of the

steel spans was delayed, Besseche said. Originally, the city was told

the spans could be delivered the second week of August, he added.

But the first

delivery wasn't made until Monday, and another delivery is expected next

week. The spans were constructed by Steadfast Bridges of Fort Payne, Ala.,

which attributed the delays to unexpected demand during the summer months.

The installing

of the spans is being performed by Bellamy Brothers Inc.

The repairs

became necessary earlier this summer when a resident reported feeling

vibrations while traveling across the bridge. It was discovered that one

of the approach spans had deteriorated, and the city closed the bridge

to golf cart traffic while allowing pedestrians and bicyclists to use

the bridge.

Since the bridge

was closed to golf cart traffic, the carts have been rerouted to a temporary

cart crossing nearby at the traffic light on Hwy. 54 at Northlake Drive.

Golf cart drivers and pedestrians use a pushbutton system to activate

the light so they may safely proceed through the intersection.