SR17 Bridge Beams Going Up in Martin Today

Motorists expecting to use SR17 today to get to Martin and Toccoa can expect some major delays.

The second set of bridge beams over SR17 just outside of Martin is expected to go up today, weather permitting.

Georgia Department Of Transportation Spokesperson Teri Pope says work started wednesday to set the first five beams on the bridge that is just outside of martin.

Pope says crews are set to put the next five beams in place today.

“This is for the bridge that will eventually take State Route 17, the new widened road, over the Hartwell Railroad and existing State Route 17,” said Pope. “There are four sets of bridge beams, for a total of 20, that need to go in place.”

Pope says work will likely take most of the day if all goes as planned.  She says the beams will be delivered to the bridge site today one at a time.

“These are puzzle pieces,” said Pope. “They are custom fit for each location. They cannot fit anywhere else.”

Each of the pre-stressed concrete beams is 123 feet long and six feet tall.

Pope said the beams will be coming up I-85 to Exit 173 in Lavonia individually and then delivered to the site in Martin.

Once a beam arrives at the site, Pope says motorists using that stretch of SR17 will experience some delays while part of the work takes place.

“There is not a whole lot of room in the area where this bridge is over the existing State Route 17,” said Pope. “As those beams come to the bridge area, we will be shutting down one lane of State Route 17 as the cranes move in to position, pick the beams up, and move them out of the way.”

Pope says those delays will be most likely between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.  The third and fourth sets of beams will be set on Friday and Saturday, weather permitting.

This construction is part of the larger project to make SR17 four-lane highway from Memorial Drive in Toccoa to the Stephens-Franklin county line in Martin.

Construction is scheduled to be complete by May 31, 2016.