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UPDATE: Access Road bridge in Covington not closing on Monday
Access Road bridge
The Access Road bridge over the Yellow River, on the right. was built in 1937, according to GDOT. - photo by Courtesy of the Newton County Sheriff's Office

COVINGTON, Ga. — Access Road and its bridge over the Yellow River will not be closed beginning Monday as previously announced.

The Newton County Sheriff's Office updated its information on the planned closure today, said sheriff's office spokeswoman Caitlin Jett today.

"GDOT has confirmed the Access Road bridge will not be closed for reconstruction on Sept. 20, 2021," Jett said. 

"The reconstruction project will happen, but at a later date. Once the date is confirmed, we will notify the public," she said.

When it occurs, the closure likely will force Access Road traffic to be diverted to roads around the area of the 84-year-old bridge. 

Access Road runs parallel with I-20 along the interstate highway's south side and is a major east-west route between Covington and Conyers. It carries more than 9,000 vehicles per day, according to GDOT records.

GDOT announced in May that the existing bridge, built in 1937, is structurally deficient and must be replaced. Tucker-based Georgia Bridge and Concrete will reconstruct the bridge and approaches on Access Road.

As proposed, the new bridge will be 320 feet long and 43 feet wide and include two walls along the approaches south of the road to minimize impacts to a pump station and trailer park.

The $3.065 million project is near I-20's Exit 88 interchange at Almon and Crowell roads, GDOT said.