Hensley says goal is to keep one lane open across Toccoa
Fannin County Commission Chairman Jamie Hensley believes everyone who could be affected needs to be pro-active in developing solutions if the William T. “Boss” Mull Memorial Bridge on State Route 5 across the Toccoa River in McCaysville were to be closed.
Hensley called together public safety personnel from Fannin and Polk counties Monday at Fire Station #1 in Blue Ridge to begin looking at possibilities.
The commission chairman said he had been contacted by Georgia Department of Transportation District Engineer Grant Waldrop and asked, “what our thoughts are about closing down the bridge?”
Hensley said he told Waldrop that one lane should be left open in the interest of public safety.
He said he received a second call from Waldrop a couple of days later indicating the bridge would have to be closed completely. GDOT’s main concern with keeping one lane open was where to stage equipment.
Hensley said he was also told that if the entire bridge was closed construction of a new bridge would take one year. If one lane were kept open, construction time would be a year-and-a-half.
Joe Schulman, GDOT District 6 communications officer, issued a statement that said, “This project is currently in the concept stage. We are conducting local government outreach to evaluate options for the reconstruction of the SR 5 bridge over the Toccoa River in McCaysville.”
Hensley told the group gathered Monday, “if there’s any way possible we can leave one lane open, that’s the ultimate goal.” Solutions to reach that goal is what he wants to present to GDOT.
Fire trucks cannot use the steel bridge in McCaysville to travel between Georgia and Tennessee. If the Mull Bridge is completely closed response times would be increased tremendously from Fannin fire stations to areas along Highway 60.
Fannin County Emergency Management Agency Director Robert Graham pointed out that if all the traffic were routed onto the steel bridge, there would also be a tremendous challenge existing for any emergency vehicle to get through the gridlock.
There was an idea to convert the Copper Basin Fire Department’s station at Grassy Creek to a manned station for fire and ambulance service through the counties’ mutual aid agreement.
Copper Basin Fire Chief Marty Senterfitt suggested the money might be better spent on lighter equipment that could cross the steel bridge in McCaysville.
Hensley also mentioned converting Station #14 on Salem Road into a manned station.
School bus travel was also a concern.
Fannin County Director of Transportation Denver Foster said GDOT had warned Fannin County of a possible closing about two years ago.
The school system has already changed its bus routes so buses do not have to cross the river in McCaysville.
A spokesman for Polk County said they would have to come up with similar routing.
Polk County Emergency Management Agency Director Steve Lofty suggested contacting state elected officials to get their help.
There was also a suggestion to urge GDOT to complete the McCaysville bypass portion of State Route 5 work that includes the new bridge over the Ocoee River.
Hensley said, “the more solutions that we have...that’s the way to go.”
He encouraged everyone to send him their ideas and he will forward them to GDOT officials.
Commonly known as the “new bridge,” the concrete structure was built in 1936.
McCaysville Police Chief Michael Earley told the city’s mayor and council October 8, 2019, he had been notified by GDOT the bridge would have to be replaced. He said the city had been promised six months notice before the start of any construction.
At that time, Earley said he was told that one lane would be kept open with traffic signals at each end of the bridge. The News Observer sent emails to GDOT at the time requesting information, but those were not answered.
Hensley said Monday he had told why the bridge has to be replaced. He said he has been told the time frame for the project is three to five years.