OLD CAPE ROAD TO GET NEW BRIDGE

JACKSON -- After years of people using it as a shortcut past downtown Jackson, the concrete bridge on Old Cape Road is ready for replacement.

The bridge spans Goose Creek. City officials aren't sure when it was built, but its all-concrete side rails are rare today.

Thanks to the federal Small City Bridge Program, it won't cost Jackson taxpayers anything to replace the bridge. Through the program, money collected at the federal level is given back to the states for such projects, and Jackson will receive $250,000.

Engineering consultant Richard Bowen drew plans for a new bridge many years ago in anticipation of the funds. Now he's in the process of updating them so work can begin this year.

"Rich Bowen should get a lot of the credit for dealing with the paperwork," Mayor Paul Sander said. "All we will have to deal with is the right of way."

City Administrator Steve Wilson said other problems with that area of Old Cape Road will be corrected, too.

"It's rather narrow and on a sharp curve," he said. "We will try to soften that curve a little bit. A lot of people use the bridge as a cut-through."