Plans in the works for new bridge in Perry

The Dr. A.G. Hendrick Memorial Bridge on SR 7, SR 127 and US 41 passing over Whitetail Trail in Perry will be replaced at some point due to a coordinated effort between the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT), the City of Perry and the Federal Highway Administration.

This is a route used by the GDOT, and plans for a new bridge are in progress with construction to start as early as the end of this year, according to Perry City Manager Lee Gilmour.

“The state has determined that the bridge needs to be replaced with a new bridge that will be higher above the creek and also wider,” Gilmour said. “They have the basic bridge design done.

“They are finishing up the environmental assessments. They are starting some of the soil testing, and I think the bridge is starting construction some time in late ’22 or some time in 2023.”

The bridge will remain open during these updates, and it’ll be completed one-half at a time.

“Traffic will still be able to cross over Big Indian Creek the whole construction time,” Gilmour said.

This project should have a minimal effect on land nearby, including an acquisition of just 0.17-acre of permanent easement and 0.08-acre of required right-of-way from Rotary Centennial Park, Gilmour said.

“As far as we can tell, it should have a minimum effect on Rotary Centennial Park,” Gilmour said. “There will be a certain amount of footage that is lost, but it’s not substantial.”

The park, itself, will remain open during the construction. Gilmour said for residents to keep an eye out for the possibility of trail closures depending on the construction schedule to come.

A January 24 news article on the City of Perry website, “Temporary Impacts to Rotary Centennial Park,” stated there’s a possibility of four temporary 1-to-2-day closures of Whitetail Trail.

Trail users would still be allowed to use portions of the trail not closed due to construction, and activities like community events in Rotary Centennial Park would not be affected.

Gilmour added that Whitetail Trail might only be accessible from Creekwood Park while personnel finish the bridge construction.

This is a state-funded project, and it was brought before Mayor and Council at a past meeting and saw no objections, Gilmour said. Mayor and Council have also been in touch with GDOT on some lighting options to be featured on the new bridge.

“Council also had some discussion with DOT about the lighting on the bridge, and the results of that are that DOT will provide lighting — but the lighting will be according to their specifications,” Gilmour said. ” The city originally wanted lighting like featured on Gen. Courtney Hodges Boulevard, but DOT determined that wasn’t safe.”

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