Public comment sought for bridge replacement
Mar. 30—The Georgia Department of Transportation is hosting a virtual public information open house to allow the public to review the proposed Dunbar Bridge replacement.
A public meeting was held earlier this month on St. Simons Island to explain the project.
The bridge on Sea Island Road was built in 1960 and is now considered below current design standards, according to GDOT.
The new bridge would be constructed in the same location along the existing alignment with an on-site detour.
The estimated cost, including preliminary engineering, right of way and construction, is more than $5 million.
The bridge will be built with a minimum width exceeding requirements, a greater load capacity and with modern materials.
If the project is not done, the existing bridge will continue to function at a substandard load carrying capacity and could eventually need to be posted for maximum loads until it is ultimately closed for repairs, according to transportation officials.
The condition of the existing bridge will continue to deteriorate, they warn.
The project proposes a new 360-foot by 50.83-foot concrete bridge which would be one foot higher than the existing bridge to meet the 100-year flood elevation.
During construction, Sea Island Road will remain open. An onsite detour will be created by building a temporary bridge.
The new bridge will include a 16-foot shoulder on the south side to accommodate a shared use path. Plans call for the possible future expansion or construction of a parallel bridge.
The public is invited to provide feedback on the project by visiting https://sea-island-rd-bridge-replacement-0014914-gdot.hub.arcgis.com/. The deadline to post comments is April 20.
Written comments can be sent to Eric Duff, State Environmental Administrator, Georgia Department of Transportation, 600 W. Peachtree St., NW — 16th floor, Atlanta, GA, 30308.
