Project Location: Town of Georgia in Franklin County on VT Route 104A over Arrow Head Lake.  The Bridge is located approximately 1.1 miles east of the junction with US Route 7.

The Georgia Bridge 1 project includes the replacement of the existing single span rolled beam bridge.  The bridge is located on a narrow causeway constructed over the lake. The existing structure has a span of 72-feet and a width of 23-feet. The structure currently has a deck rating of 5 (fair), a superstructure rating of 6 (satisfactory), and a substructure rating of 7 (good). This bridge was constructed in 1937 and is 74-feet in length.  The bridge has been reduced down to one-way alternating traffic as a result of a truck collision in September of 2018 that damaged the bridge railing.   Currently, there is F-Shape concrete barrier on the structure as an interim solution.  Following the September 2018 collision, the railing and posts on the northern side of the bridge are in a failed condition.  Additionally, the fascias on both sides are in poor condition with heavy cracking and spalling. 

VTrans evaluated alternatives for rehabilitation or replacement of the bridge in an engineering study completed in January, 2019. This study assessed the proposed design criteria for the structure, rare/threatened/endangered species impacts, hydraulics, operations and maintenance needs, community considerations and resource impacts. Several alternatives were considered, including: no action, minor rehabilitation of the deck, a deck replacement with resetting of the existing beams for increased width, superstructure replacement, a full bridge replacement, and a full bridge replacement on a raised vertical grade.  Maintenance of traffic options considered included an offsite detour or a temporary bridge.

Given the age of the structure, site constraints, and current conditions, the engineering study recommended a full bridge replacement with traffic maintained on an offsite detour. The proposed typical section would include two 11-foot travel lanes with 3-foot shoulders for a total rail to rail width of 28-feet.  The causeway will also be widened to a 28-foot typical section as part of the project in order to match the VT Route 104A corridor.

It is anticipated that the bridge closure will begin on July 15, 2020 and open to two-way traffic on August 19, 2020.