Hwy. 53 bridge over Lake Lanier opens Thursday

GAINESVILLE- The newly constructed State Route 53 bridge over Lake Lanier  will be opened to traffic at 11 a.m Thursday (Aug. 2).

Construction partners with Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) will shift traffic over to the new bridge and approaches and close access to the former lanes of the green truss bridge.

DOT officials ask drivers to be alert as workers will be in the lanes and directing traffic. This shift could be postponed if rainy weather interferes.

Opening the new bridge to traffic doesn’t mean work is complete. Final asphalt topping is still required along with additional grading to each side of the new approaches. The completion date for this project is March 2019, which includes time for the demolition of the former structure.

This project was awarded to Scott Bridge Company Inc. in March of 2016 and has a construction contract amount of $19.7 million.

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