New Islands Expressway bridge over Wilmington River to open, second span work to begin

Traffic on the Islands Expressway will be shifted to the newly constructed bridge over the Wilmington River on Thursday night, weather permitting, according to a release from the Georgia Dept. of Transportation.

The new "high-level fixed span bridge" is one of two replacing the Sam Varnedoe drawbridge, which is outdated and unwieldy.

Traffic shifting will begin Thursday, July 7, at 11:30 p.m. and continue until Friday morning at 7:30 a.m.

Once traffic has shifted to the new bridge -- which will be the westbound lanes once both structures are complete -- the work to demolish and replace the existing bridge will begin.

"This new traffic configuration will allow continuous traffic flow, no longer hindered by maritime traffic," a GDOT email alert reads.

Bridge woes: Construction delays on Islands Expressway reminiscent of Skidaway fiasco

More: GDOT pushes Islands Expressway bridge completion to 2024, westbound lanes open this summer

First City Progress: Construction delays at Wilmington River bridge has costly impacts for neighbors

Construction of the second span is expected to last another two years, according to GDOT.

Work to replace the Varnedoe bridge began in 2018, and has proven costly and dangerous.

Parts of the construction began sinking into the riverbed, delaying work by a year. To fix the issue, the bridge's off-ramp had to be extended, interfering with the entrance to a nearby subdivision, Causton Bluff.

Construction has also hindered sightlines at the entrance to The Bluff, a riverfront subdivision across the street from Causton Bluff. Both neighborhoods have suffered accidents, sending residents to the hospital and prompting community-wide movement to get the traffic issues addressed.

But, there has been little done to improve traffic and slow down the flow of commuters, primarily those who live on the Islands and work in Savannah. No plans have been made for a traffic signal, but turn lanes will be added to both neighborhoods in the future.

The Chatham County Police, which patrols that area, said they are monitoring the construction zone closely, as it creates unsafe driving conditions.

Zoe covers growth and how it impacts communities in the Savannah area. Find her at znicholson@gannett.com, @zoenicholson_ on Twitter, and @zoenicholsonreporter on Instagram. 

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: New Islands Expressway bridge over Wilmington River opening Thursday