A much-crossed Highway 515 bridge is getting an extensive makeover, which could take more than a year to complete.
The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) project at the Cecil Mathews Memorial Bridge (also known as Turniptown Creek Bridge) began in October. The anticipated project completion timeframe is March 2025.
The work will include .29 miles of construction including replacement of the northbound section of the bridge over Turniptown Creek, according to the GDOT District 6 office.
“We are only replacing the northbound bridge. We’re replacing it to bring it up to current design standards. The northbound bridge was built in 1928 before (being widened) in 1971,” said Joe Schulman, GDOT spokesperson.
A temporary detour bridge will also be be constructed and will be used to accommodate traffic while the northbound side is being worked on. A path is currently being made for that temporary bridge, which will extend into the median area of the highway.
“We are working with the contractor to get final approval of the temporary bridge. Once that is done work will resume at a quicker pace,” said Schulman.
The price tag for the entire project is $4.79 million, according to GDOT.
There is no work scheduled for the southbound section of the bridge, which was renamed to honor late sawmill owner and area resident Cecil Mathews in 2021.