The demolition of a fire-burned bridge along Cheshire Bridge Road continues, roughly three months after an intense fire made the road impassable.
The bridge, which crosses over Peachtree Creek, closed to traffic between Woodland and Faulkner roads after the fire compromised its safety Aug. 4, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution previously reported. The blaze was intensified by a rupture in a four-inch gas line, which created a difficult scenario for firefighters as natural gas fueled the fire.
A demolition contractor was selected in late September, and vendors worked to move power, water, gas, cable and phone lines off the bridge and around the construction zone. Final preparations were completed by Nov. 7, and demolition began last week.
“We are grateful for the patience and continued support of the local community in the face of the tremendous inconvenience caused by the Cheshire Bridge closure,” Atlanta Department of Transportation Commissioner Josh Rowan said. “Issues encountered during the utility relocation process have delayed the start of demolition, but work should progress well from this point.”
Credit: Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Credit: Atlanta Journal-Constitution
In August, Rowan said it would take about a year to rebuild the bridge, which was built in the 1930s. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2022, the agency said.
“We are currently preparing a bid package for design and construction and expect to have a contractor on board soon after demolition is complete,” Rowan said. “We remain committed to getting the bridge demolished and replaced as safely and quickly as possible.”
In the meantime, a detour has been installed and the Atlanta DOT has worked with mapping services like Waze and Google Maps to have the closure added to those popular navigation services, Rowan said.
The Atlanta DOT has posted detour directions on its website. Lenox Road and Piedmont Road are the nearest roads that cross Peachtree Creek and will likely continue to see increased traffic during the demolition.
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