The Forrest Street bridge is open to motorists ahead of schedule. 

The barriers and “road closed” signs have been removed. Athens Mayor Ronnie Marks cut the police tape during a 2 p.m. dedication ceremony, officially allowing motorists to travel the stretch of roadway. A number of city officials joined Marks for the bridge reopening. 

Forrest Street east of U.S. 31 was first closed to traffic March 4, 2019, and motorists were detoured to U.S. 72 and Alabama 251 in the interim. The estimated completion of the project was set for this summer. 

The bridge is part of a $4-million project that included replacing the two Forrest Street bridges over Swan Creek east of U.S. 31, resurfacing Forrest Street from U.S. 31 to Lindsay Lane, and expanding the sidewalks to connect to the Swan Creek Greenway, a National Recreation Trail that runs under Forrest Street.

The bridges were replaced by Miller and Miller and inspected by the Alabama Department of Transportation.

Old

The bridges over Swan Creek had exceeded their life expectancy. In addition to being nearly twice as wide and long, the new bridges include bridge parapets, or safety barriers, and a pedestrian lane so residents can walk to the greenway. (The old bridges were 20 feet wide and 100 feet long, while the new bridges are about 40 feet wide and 180 feet long.)

Cost

The Forrest Street bridge project covers 1.26 miles. First suggested in 2013, it was funded under the Alabama Transportation Rehabilitation and Improvement Program. The city’s contract with ALDOT calls for a $4,014,444 project, with ATRIP providing $2,558,081.

— Jean Cole contributed to this article.