Bulloch County Engineer Ron Nelson shared an update on the Cypress Lake Road bridge during Tuesday’s county commission meeting.
The thoroughfare has been closed since February due to an automobile crash that damaged the bridge between Country Club Road and Riggs Mill Road. GDOT Bridge Maintenance personnel performed an inspection of the bridge and determined the bridge should be closed to traffic until such time repair work can be accomplished to the satisfaction of the GDOT State Bridge Engineer.
During the Board meeting on March 18, 2025, the County Engineer gave an update that included details
associated with repair work to the existing bridge and stated the approximate cost for design and construction services would total $500,000.00. He also stated the existing Cypress Lake Road bridge over Dry Branch is the lowest rated bridge in Bulloch County and is currently load restricted to 8 tons (16,000 lbs.) based upon GDOT’s method of bridge load rating. The County Engineer ultimately recommended a full bridge replacement and negotiations with an engineering firm to develop a scope and fee for bridge design and engineering services. The Board passed the provision unanimously.
On Tuesday, Nelson said he has requested 60-day updates from the design firm and is pushing hard for progress. Nelson told commissioners that the firm is on schedule for completion of design ‘on or before April of 2026.’ Procurement activity will follow after that.
“From a milestone perspective, plan on receiving 30% of preliminary plans the first of August [2025] and then we’ll be moving into the fall with more of the environmental process as well,” Nelson said.
He requested continued patience from the public. “We are moving as quickly as possible.”
