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Pictured above (L-R): Former State Transportation Board Member Ray Herrington, Toombs Commission
Chairman Blake Tillery, District Engineer Karon Ivery, State Representative Greg Morris, State Transportation
Board Member Anne Purcell, State Transportation Board Chairman Don Grantham, State Senator Tommie
Williams, Appling County Commission Chairman Lewis Parker, Contractor Ike Scott and Mike Dover,
Administrator for the Georgia Transportation Investment Act.
Groundbreaking ceremonies were held for the nearly $26 million dollar project to replace the Altamaha River Bridge and two others."You do have two other bridges, flood relief bridges, which are on the north side of the river across the flood plain. The bid bridge is 4,200 feet long, so it's a long bridge," says Ike Scott from the Scott Bridge Company in Opelika, Alabama which is going the work, and there's a family connection."
"It's like coming back home. My grandfather and his brothers worked out of Thomasville and built the original bridge, the one we're getting ready to tear down and replace," Scott said.
Local politicians who spoke at the groundbreaking noted that passage of the Transporation Sales Tax in this area is making the construction possible after many years of waiting.
"We've been waiting on this for about 30 years. I know when I first got elected, four-laning of U.S. One was one of the major projects. Our district passes the Transportation Investment Act and it's good for our area," noted State Senator Tommie Williams of Lyons.
His remarks were echoed by State Representative Greg Morris of Vidalia. "I was beginning to think my generation wouldn't see this bridge replaced, buts it's thanks to you and the courage you had in passing the transportation tax. Not every area can say that because most areas chose to kick that can down the road."
Nearly $5 million dollars of the project cost is being paid for with local sales tax dollars.
Toombs County Commission Chairman Blake Tillery said it's a good example of how regions and the state can work together. He encourage more of the same in the future.
Article and picture courtesy of Vidalia Communications.
