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Newton bridge work resumes as OSHA probe continues into October collapse
Access Road bridge
Workers gather at the Access Road bridge site Monday, Jan. 31, to continue part of a project to demolish the structure and replace it with a new one. Work was delayed more than three months for an ongoing federal investigation after an October collapse of the bridge killed a worker. - photo by Tom Spigolon

COVINGTON, Ga. — Work has resumed on a bridge replacement project more than three months after it was halted for an investigation into the death of a worker when part of the decades-old structure collapsed into the Yellow River.

Work resumed last week on the Access Road bridge replacement project with the focus on demolition of parts of the structure that remain following the Oct. 19 incident, said GDOT spokesperson Kyle Collins.

"The deck section in the river will be the last item removed," he said.

Demario Battle, 33, of Atlanta, an employee of subcontractor B&D Concrete Cutting Inc., was killed and two others injured when a 70-foot section of the bridge fell about 50 feet into the river near I-20's Almon Road exit in western Newton County.

U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration spokesperson Erika Ruthman said the agency’s "investigation into the bridge collapse in Newton County is ongoing."

"Therefore we are unable to share additional details at this time," she said.

Workers with general contractor Georgia Bridge & Concrete and a demolition subcontractor were at the bridge site Monday, Jan. 31, after returning to work last week, said John Carmack, general manager for the Tucker-based company.

He said the company is continuing to work with OSHA on the agency's investigation.

"They're aware of our activities and they have given us permission to go back to work," Carmack said. "We're anxious to move the project forward."

The work is part of a $3.065 million project to replace the 85-year-old bridge with a more modern structure.

Carmack said the completion date was still Sept. 30, 2022, as originally planned.

Collins said the demolition could take longer than expected because the area is still an active investigation scene with other agency visits planned.

The bridge, which ran parallel to I-20 near the edge of the interstate's eastbound lanes, was built in 1937 and classified as "structurally deficient" which required it to be replaced, a GDOT release stated.

Access Road is a major east-west route between downtown Covington and western Newton County and Conyers. It carried more than 9,000 vehicles per day before traffic was detoured in October for demolition of the bridge and replacement with a new bridge.