Officials representing the contractor tasked with replacing the 13th Street-Georgia Avenue Bridge connecting Augusta and North Augusta relayed their plans to North Augusta City Council members at a work study session on Aug. 8.
The Georgia Department of Transportation intends to replace the current bridge with a new span. Construction will start in 2025 and should be completed by 2029, according to GDOT.
Officials with Parsons, the contractor, maintain that work will not commence on the13th Street-Georgia Avenue bridge until work is complete on the Interstate 20 bridge that is currently under construction.
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Erin Murphy, an environmental engineer with Parsons, explained how the construction will affect the trails at Brick Pond Park, Waterway Park and the Greenway Trail. During the construction, some access will be limited for safety reasons, but the final product will have no adverse impact on any of the South Carolina side parks, according to Murphy.
“Section 4(f) of the U.S. The Department of Transportation Act protects parks and recreation areas, so we will be asking the city of North Augusta to sign a letter agreeing that there will be no adverse impact on the trails,” Murphy said.
During construction, the walkways on the bridge will not be accessible to the public and certain areas..
The tunnel connecting Georgia Avenue will remain open, but other connecting trails will be closed to the public during the four-year duration of the project.
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Access to the brick ponds will be available via Esplanade Avenue and Railroad Avenue.
Once construction begins, barge traffic will hamper some access for boats nearing the bridge, but Murphy says that Parsons will be coordinating with local groups so that events such as Iron Man can continue safely.
Visit the Georgia Department of Transportation’s website for more information on the project.
Scott Hudson is the senior reporter for The Augusta Press. Reach him at scott@theaugustapress.com
