The wooden bridge on Juniper Street over CSX railroad tracks has been closed indefinitely after being determined to be unsafe for vehicular traffic.

The state Department of Transportation recently inspected the stringer/ multibeam bridge built about 1945 and found it did not meet federal standards.

“DOT finally determined it was just about time to close that bridge,” said David Brown, LaGrange’s director of public services.

“It’s safe for pedestrians and bicycles,” but no additional weight should be put on the structure. “DOT’s recommending not to do so.”

The single-lane bridge is not a high-traffic span. However, it offers motorists a route over the tracks when trains block Park, Murphy, Callaway and Truitt avenues. Juniper Street also leads to the back of nearby Unity Elementary School, and the Boys & Girls Club of West Georgia is at Juniper and Oak streets.

The area of Juniper Street between Murphy Avenue and Oak Street has been closed to traffic and a detour provided for motorists. Signs have been erected by city employees showing alternate routes.

The new Jefferson Street bridge, which opened in 2007, took more than 15 years to replace, and Juniper Street could take just as long, officials said.

Unlike Juniper Street, two-lane Jefferson Street handles much more auto traffic and serves as a connector between southwest LaGrange and Vernon Street.

The Juniper Street bridge could cost up to $3 million to replace, Brown said. There are no plans to replace the bridge, he said, and a decision would have to be made by City Council.

“It could be a very long, drawn-out process if … the council decided to replace it,” he said.

In 2006, repairs to the bridge were estimated at $359,000. The bridge was yellow-flagged by state DOT representatives in 2007, given a score of one out of 100. The state urges replacement or repair of any bridge scoring less than 50.

Troup County has 72 bridges. Inspection reports are made on the bridges physical structure and condition, what kind of route the bridge is used for such as with school buses or large trucks, and what activities the road is used for.

Trey Wood can be reached at twood @ lagrangenews. com or (706) 884-7311, Ext. 228.