The proposed project would replace the existing bridge on State Route 57 (SR 57) over the Kaolin Pipe Line, approximately 1.8 miles south of Gordon, in Wilkinson County, Georgia (Figures 1 and 2). It would connect to an existing roundabout in the eastern part of the project. The proposed project, PI No. 0013945, is part of an effort from the Georgia Department of Transportation's (GDOT) statewide bridge replacement effort. The existing bridge was constructed in 1954 and was assigned an overall sufficiency rating of 56.0 when it was inspected (date unknown). SR 57 is classified as a rural principal arterial. The bridge would be replaced with a new bridge that meets current American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AAASHTO) specifications with regards to lane width, shoulder width , live load capacity, and crash worthy railing system. The proposed project is in concept development; therefore, details on the construction of the proposed bridge are unknown. The existing right-of-way (ROW) along the project corridor is 70 feet. Since the project is currently in the concept phase of development, proposed ROW dimensions are not specifically known at this time.
For this project, the limits of the ESB have been defined as an area measuring 640 meters (2, 100 feet) long by 76 meters (250 feet) in width centered on the existing bridge structure. The length of the ESB is designed to encompass the tie-in to the existing roundabout located at the eastern terminus of the ESB, located approximately 300 meters (985 feet) east of the existing bridge structure.
One previously recorded site is within 1 km of the proposed project area. Site 9WK97 is a historic artifact scatter site approximately 340 meters southeast of the project area. The site also includes an abandoned housing structure and outbuilding, most likely dating to 1930-1935. The site was recommended ineligible for the National Register of Historic Places (Mcintosh 2002).
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