Some bridges to remain closed for days

By Ariel Hart

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

A big question mark hung over parts of North Georgia’s tattered road system Wednesday, as many bridges remained closed and overbooked inspectors tried to see how many were damaged, and how badly, by flooding waters.

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Kent D. Johnson, kdjohnson@ajc.com The force of floodwater and the debris it carries could compromise the integrity of bridges that may appear to be safe.

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Some will be off-limits for days. The earth washed out beneath the approaches to Ga. 166 over Anneewakee Creek in Douglas County, and it will need permanent repairs, probably next week, said state DOT spokesman David Spear. It is now unsafe to drive.

Douglas County spokesman Wes Tallon urged drivers to stop moving barricades because they think they see a dry bridge. “The weight of that car might be what takes the bridge down,” he said.

Moving water or the debris in it can actually shift a bridge’s support columns or horizontal beams slightly, Spear said. Logs can strike or become lodged against the columns. Another problem inspectors look for is when “either the force of the water itself or debris or sediment can ‘scour’ or erode the columns” and soil, Spear said.

State bridge inspectors were deluged with orders and traveled from bridge to bridge in some of the worst-hit areas. Alpharetta decided not to wait, and hired its own, allowing McGinnis Ferry Road and Webb Bridge Road to open over Big Creek, said Alpharetta Public Works director Pete Sewczwicz.

The metro area appeared to have dodged the biggest bullets, as bridges that are part of I-20 and I-285 were deemed safe enough for traffic. But smaller culvert and surface road washouts have speckled the metro area with traffic diversions and repair projects that can cost more than $100,000 each.