Price–Legg Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Price–Legg Bridge |
|
|---|---|
| Carries |  SR 47 |
| Crosses | Little River |
| Locale | Lincoln–Columbia county line southeast of Lincolnton |
The Price–Legg Bridge is a bridge that crosses the Little River. It connects Lincoln County and Columbia County in the state of Georgia. The bridge carries State Route 47.
The original bridge was getting old and needed repairs. Because of this, a project was started to build a new bridge. This new bridge was planned to be finished by April 2016. It is not yet known if the new bridge will keep the name "Price–Legg Bridge."
Bridge History
The Price–Legg Bridge first opened in 1952. It was named after two important people from the area. One was Homer Legg, who was a judge in Lincoln County. The other was J.M. Price, who managed a gristmill nearby. A gristmill is a place where grain is ground into flour.
In September 2011, the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) announced plans to replace the bridge. They planned to start building a new bridge in 2014. The new bridge would be built about 50 feet (15 m) away from the old one.
Bridge Size
The Price–Legg Bridge has a clearance height of 10 feet (3.0 m). This means there is 10 feet (3.0 m) of space between the bottom of the bridge and the water or land below it.
Why a New Bridge Was Needed
In the early 2000s, the Price–Legg Bridge was the only direct way to travel by land between Columbia and Lincoln counties. Over time, the bridge started to wear out. This was due to weather conditions and many cars driving over it. Inspectors found cracks and said the bridge was "structurally deficient." This meant it was not as strong as it should be.
However, the bridge was not in danger of falling down. It just needed to be replaced. By 2014, its condition was updated to "functionally obsolete." This means it was still safe but no longer met modern traffic needs. The project to build a new bridge was estimated to cost $24.1 million. The new bridge was planned to be finished by August 21, 2016. By February 24, 2015, about 18 percent of the construction was done.
A study was done by the United States Army Corps of Engineers. They found that building the new bridge would not greatly affect fun activities in the area. However, it would make bank fishing harder for a while.
In February 2013, a report from the GDOT said the old bridge was "fracture critical." This happened after some boats that were too tall hit the bridge. The bridge had a clearance of 14.5-foot-high (4.4 m). These collisions damaged the bridge, leaving only one bolt holding a connection plate.
Because of this, the bridge was checked regularly. To help with building the new bridge, traffic on the old bridge was reduced. It went from two lanes to one lane from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. These lane closures were expected to last about three months.
Workers have built four strong piers for the new bridge. The new bridge will have two lanes for cars and two lanes for emergencies. It will also have a much higher vertical clearance of 30-foot-high (9.1 m). This is much taller than the old bridge's 10 feet (3.0 m) clearance. The new bridge is being built only a few hundred feet from the old one. It is on the southwest side, closer to the Little River than to Clarks Hill Lake.
Once the new bridge is completed, the old Price–Legg Bridge is planned to be taken down.
