The near-misses for Cobb County’s Concord Road covered bridge continue to add up, as drivers of large vehicles refuse to obey warnings that they will not fit within its seven-foot clearance.
The latest in a series of completely avoidable collisions occurred Tuesday when a U-Haul van struck the metal beam protecting the bridge. Cobb County said on its Facebook page that the collision caused "traffic disruptions" towards the end of the morning rush hour.
“Witnesses say a U-Haul van hit the beam, leaving it leaning, then left the scene,” the county said. “A tag number was turned over to police. DOT crews quickly arrived and had the beam upright in a matter of minutes.”
This is the 18th close call the bridge spanning Nickajack Creek just south of the East-West Connector has experienced since late 2017, the fourth incident in 2019 and the third one to occur within the last month.
“Despite multiple warning signs, including a flashing light that activates when a vehicle over seven feet tall drives down Concord Road, this has been an ongoing issue,” the county said. “Even though repair costs for DOT are minimal, traffic disruptions frustrate neighbors.”
READ | Explore the history and beauty of Georgia's covered bridges
Cobb County will soon roll out another way to discourage drivers of large vehicles from trying to use the one-lane bridge.
County commissioners later this month will consider a request to install two mast-arm devices that would be placed on each side of the bridge. The devices will hang over travel lanes, with chains suspending PVC pipes at the clearance level.
Cobb County spokesman Ross Cavitt said the cost for the installation will be $19,540, and the mast arms will be added to the bridge by the end of May.
Vehicles taller than seven feet will hit the pipes, “hopefully encouraging them to turn around,” the county said. One mast-arm would be installed north of the bridge before the turn-around and the other would be placed on the south side before the Covered Bridge Road turnoff, the county said.
Any emergency vehicles that need access to the area will be able to veer into the oncoming lane to avoid hitting the pipes.
“We hope this will be the solution to what has been a frustrating situation for neighbors and our crews,” said Cobb Department of Transportation Director Erica Parish.
Like Cobb County News Now on Facebook | Follow on Twitter
About the Author
