The historic Concord Road Covered Bridge near Smyrna will close from 10 a.m. to noon Thursday to prepare for its upcoming closure that will begin in June and continue through the summer.
With 7,000 to 10,000 cars traveling it each day, the bridge, which was built in the 1800s, has the highest traffic count of all covered bridges in Georgia combined, according to a county statement.
Summer construction will involve adding metal support boxes to reinforce the structure from the inside.
Additional renovations will include siding and roof repairs, guard rail replacement, cleaning and painting.
The project cost of about $630,000 will be funded with Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax dollars.
Previously, steel protection beams were constructed to absorb impacts from trucks that exceed the bridge’s seven-foot height limit.
Warning drivers of the restriction as they approach the bridge from either end, these “headache beams” have helped, but the landmark still is hit about 12 times a year, according to county officials.
This summer’s repairs will steady the bridge after a recent series of blows that have caused it to lean.
History: npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP, search Concord Road Covered Bridge.
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