Cobb County has approved $803,000 for needed repairs to the Historic Concord Covered Bridge. The work, being done by Suncoast Restoration and Waterproofing, will begin this summer and should be completed before the end of the year.
The project involves cleaning, repairing exterior siding and roofing, repairs to one of the bridge supports, signage improvements, and new guard rails. But the biggest change to the structure is the addition of four internal steel frames to stiffen the bridge. These frames, painted to match the interior wood, will help stabilize the bridge and better protect from future vehicle damage. Vehicle damage has been one of the largest challenges for the historic bridge, which has around 10,000 cars driving through its 7-foot clearance each day.
The current plan has the bridge closing on Monday, July 31, 2017. Work should be completed within 4 months, by the end of November.