A new bridge over Canton Creek was delayed in construction due to the presence of the endangered Cherokee darter fish for which construction cannot disturb the creek between March 1 and June 30 annually.
An extended road closure was announced recently by Cherokee County officials for Union Hill Road between Hasty Trail and Spearman Lane for the bridge replacement over Canton Creek, beginning July 26 through late January, pending weather delays.
A detour will use Ga. 20 and East Cherokee Drive.
Two bridges on Union Hill Road have been identified as needing to be replaced, and engineering was completed in 2018 for the bridges over Mill Creek near Marvin Land Lane and over Canton Creek near Hasty Trail.
Completing two bridge replacements on Union Hill Road at once was not feasible due to the road closures involved, according to a county statement.
The bridge over Mill Creek was constructed in 2020.
Right-of-way acquisition for the Canton Creek bridge began two years ago, with the last acquisition occurring earlier this year.
The $1.6 million construction project, using Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) funds, was awarded to Georgia Bridge and Concrete by the Cherokee County Board of Commissioners in April.
The bridge replacement includes an upgraded and more modern bridge structure with 12-foot travel lanes and 8-foot shoulders.
Built in 1950, the current bridge over Canton Creek is weight restricted.
Residents with questions about the detour should contact the Cherokee County Roadway Capital Program office at 678-493-6077.
For information from the University of Georgia on the Cherokee darter fish, visit bit.ly/3cieoT3.
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