Mull bridge replacement would be done after McCaysville bypass work
Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) officials have acted quickly in response to Fannin County concerns over closing the William T. “Boss” Mull bridge over the Toccoa River in McCaysville while it is rebuilt.
Fannin County Commission Chairman Jamie Hensley has received a new detour plan proposal from Amit Poshiya, engineer in training (EIT), a consultant project manager for GDOT.
That path shows a detour using the new bridge that will be part of the McCaysville Bypass to route traffic around the closing of the Boss Mull bridge. The new bridge and bypass from near School Street in McCaysville to near Colonial Avenue in Copperhill would have to be completed before work on the Boss Mull bridge begins.
This would leave both sides of the Toccoa and Ocoee rivers in the McCaysville/Copperhill area easily accessible to traffic, especially emergency vehicles, Hensley said last week. “This looks like the best option,” he said.
In his letter to Hensley, Poshiya wrote, “detour path is now changed...shorter than previous,” and asked for any concerns.
Poshiya referred to a similar request sent January 17, 2020, to then-chairman Stan Helton. That letter indicated the bridge would be closed nine to 12 months. Helton’s response was, “keeping one lane open during construction is important.”
When news of an impending full closing of the bridge reached Hensley in July, the commission chairman called together public safety officials July 18 from Fannin and Polk counties to come up with solutions and present concerns to GDOT over that closure.
At that meeting, Hensley said, “if there’s any way possible to keep one lane open, that’s the ultimate goal.”
Concerns over fire department and ambulance service response to and from both sides of the river were raised due to the closure of the Mull bridge, which would in turn cause added congestion from the increase in vehicle and pedestrian traffic to the steel bridge on Bridge Street.
Asking GDOT to complete the McCaysville Bypass with its bridge across the Ocoee River before work begins on the Mull bridge was one idea that came out of the July 18 meeting. That would mean moving the bypass up on GDOT’s proposed schedule for the entire Blue Ridge to McCaysville Highway 5 project.
Hensley said last week completing the bypass involves officials in Georgia and Tennessee working together. He said he has been assured by GDOT officials the state is ready to pay for the work, but the part of the project that lies in Tennessee must be done by Tennessee officials.