Forrest Street bridges are open to traffic

City officials and employees from Morell Engineering cut the ribbon to open the Forrest Street bridges

ATHENS-The Forrest Street bridges opened to traffic on Thursday (May 7) at 2 p.m.

There was a short ribbon cutting to celebrate completion of the project, with Athens Fire and Rescue Chief Bryan Thornton and Athens Police Lt. Steve Moore driving over the bridge with lights and sirens after the ribbon cutting.

Here is an overview of the project:

• The bridges closed on March 4, 2019, with an estimated completion timeframe of Summer 2020.

• The bridges opened ahead of schedule on May 7, 2020, at 2 p.m.

• The project was funded with a $2,558,081 ATRIP grant from the Alabama Department of Transportation and $1,456,362 from the City of Athens. Morell Engineering, Miller and Miller and Shoals Electric worked on the project.

• The project length was 1.26 miles.

• The new bridges replaced two bridges that did not meet current safety standards, had structural deficiencies and had exceeded their life expectancy.

• The project included resurfacing from the Lindsay Lane roundabout to U.S. 31, widening the shoulders, new sidewalks connecting to Swan Creek Greenway, a National Recreation Trail, and to businesses at the U.S. 31 and Forrest Street intersection.

Athens Police Lt. Steve Moore and Athens Fire and Rescue Chief Bryan Thornton cross the bridge first after the ribbon cutting