Northwest Georgia is growing and so is the need for transportation funding. A new study released this week by TRIP, a national transportation research nonprofit, shows 15 % (257 of 1,748) of locally and state-maintained bridges in the Northwest Georgia region are rated as deficient. and that includes four bridges in Chattooga County with one being in the top ten.

TRIP surveyed Georgia counties in late 2019 and early 2020 reviewing the condition of the roadways and bridges along with the funding needs for each county.

The TRIP report includes a list of the 40 most deficient bridges in Northwest Georgia, and Chattooga County had 4 bridges listed with one being in the top 10. Those bridges include: the Chattooga River Bridge on Centerpost Road, 3.5 miles northwest of Trion; the Broomtown Creek Bridge on Oak Hill Road 3 miles northwest of Lyerly; the Chattooga River Bridge on Lyerly Dam Road on the east-side of the Town of Lyerly and The Mosteller Creek Bridge on Oak Hill Road 0.5 miles west of the Town of Lyerly.

The Mosteller Creek Bridge near Lyerly was listed at the sixth most deficient bridge in Northwest Georgia.  The steel culvert bridge was built in 1940.  Chattooga County has twenty-six bridges that were built before 1950.  The oldest bridge in the county is the Shinbone Creek Bridge on Massey Road that was built in 1918.  Of the 114 bridges in Chattooga County, only 30 bridges are considered to be in “good” condition, that according to www.bridgerports.com .  Most bridges in the county are considered to be in “fair” condition.

Dave Kearby, TRIP’s executive director, says current funding will only allow for 15% of the county-maintained roads in need of resurfacing and 10% of the roads in need of reconstruction to be addressed this year.

Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) Commissioner Russell McMurry said, “As one of the fastest growing states in America, we know that our future needs far outstretch the available public resources. The data in these reports really helps quantify that need in a clear, concise way that will enable us to make wise strategic decisions about future investments.”