NEWTON COUNTY – A portion of Benton Road will close temporarily due to a replacement of a longtime bridge.

According to a social media post from Georgia Department of Transportation (DOT) - East, the closing will call for a new bridge at the West Bear Creek area. The original wooden bridge has been in place since 1950 and will be replaced.

The new bridge will be a two-lane bridge that will be 65 feet long and 26 feet wide. It will be paved for two-lane traffic and then taper into a single lane.

The closing will take place on Sept. 3 and could be closed for up to 120 days, according to the post.

Local traffic can access Avalon Road and locations on either side of the construction area. Detour routes will be listed for non-local traffic at Macedonia Road and Henderson Mill Road.

The bridge is being replaced as part of the DOT’s low impact bridge program, which aids bridges that may be outdated in today’s standards.

“The program helps reduce the number of locally-owned bridges that have posted weight limits or have closed due to their poor condition,” per the Georgia DOT - East’s Facebook post.

The contract for construction on the project is approximately $1.2 million.