ALBANY, GA (WALB) -
Update:
New gas and water lines have to be installed before the old Broad Avenue bridge can be demolished. Parts of Broad Avenue and Front Street were closed Tuesday and a popular lunch spot took a hit as patrons steered clear of the construction site.
Construction is underway to install a new gas line, which will run under the Flint River and new Broad Avenue bridge.
"What they're doing is they're going to now start pulling this pipe back under the river so that it can eventually disconnect the old gas main and hook up the new gas main. And they'll do the same thing in a short period of time with the water main that's on the bridge," said Bruce Maples, the Albany Director of Engineering.
Before construction workers can demolish the old bridge, the gas and water main have to be disconnected.
The bridge has been closed since early 2009 when inspectors found the footings in the river were severely deteriorated.
Replacing the bridge will cost a little more than $11.8 million, mostly paid for by the Georgia Department of Transportation. It could be three more years before it's completed.
Business owners in the area are looking forward to the finished product, but right now the construction is hurting some businesses.
"We normally serve about 250, 300 people at lunch. And today it looks like we may serve 30 to 40," said Dale Saunders, the owner of Riverfront Bar-B-Q.
He says he would have closed Tuesday had he known the extent of the construction.
"The things that make it bad is we can't even park across the street and walk across to the restaurant because of the pipe, so I didn't realize that. I didn't really know the whole street would be closed," said Saunders.
While Riverfront Bar-B-Q patrons were a little confused on where to park, some say they don't mind the temporary disruption.
"It's got to be done, so it's just a small inconvenience that's all it is," said Bernard Byron.
The Georgia Department of Transportation gave construction workers until Thursday to have the gas line installed.
But workers are hoping to finish installing the gas line sometime Wednesday. Officials are urging residents to avoid the area if at all possible during the construction.
Once the new gas line is finished officials will have a better idea of when they'll start installing the water line.
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The Georgia D.O.T. is doing work at the intersection of Broad Ave. and Front St. now through 9:00 a.m., Thursday, October 25.
The work is needed so that the old Broad Avenue bridge can be dismantled.
The DOT has scheduled a lane closure and detour on Front St. at Broad Ave. as contractor will be stretching, welding and installing gas main for cutover to a new gas main.
The D.O.T. says: "This is a WORK ZONE; extreme caution is necessary. Motorists are advised to reduce speeds as they travel through this area."
Message signs, barrels and cones will be utilized to alert the public of the upcoming changes.
Drivers should be aware that personnel and equipment will be operating in close proximity to travel lanes.
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Gas runs from west Albany to the east side through a big metal pipe
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