SUCHES – The brand-new bridge where Canada Creek Road West crosses over the north-flowing Toccoa River received its very own ribbon-cutting ceremony last week courtesy of the Blairsville-Union County Chamber of Commerce.
Inspectors with the Georgia Department of Transportation previously identified the bridge among others as needing significant repairs, and because it was a simpler project, the county decided to go ahead and take care of it while planning for repairs on other local bridges.
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The old wooden-deck bridge had been in place for decades, and the structural components beneath it had deteriorated over time. Replacing the single-lane bridge proved the cheaper and easier fix than trying to repair the time-worn structure, according to the county.
Fully rated to carry all legal vehicle loads, the new bridge has a 50-foot span and a width of 12½ feet, with a superstructure consisting of steel beams and a cast-in-place reinforced concrete deck.
Work on the bridge was quickly completed by Square Deal Enterprises Inc., the White County-based company that notably replaced the state-condemned Fisher Field Road bridge back in 2024.
The contract for the Canada Creek Road bridge was for $418,766, funded by SPLOST. As part of the contract, Square Deal was given until July 2 to build the new bridge.
Old bridge demolition occurred in February, and Square Deal shaved about two months off its allotted completion time, with the bridge officially opening for use on May 7.
To commemorate the successful infrastructure project, the Union County Commissioner’s Office joined the Chamber and resident Greg Jackson at the bridge on May 14; Jackson graciously allowed the use of his adjacent family farmland for a temporary bridge during construction.
Chamber President Steve Rowe opened the ceremony, saying that all local roads and bridges are important, including in Suches, and he commended the Commissioner’s Office “for working so hard to make sure all the roads in Union County are taken care of.”
“We are standing today on a new bridge,” Sole Commissioner Harold Collins said, “and I want to take just two minutes to tell you what it took to get here, and what made it possible.
“Until recently, the families who live along Canada Creek Road depended on an old crossing that had reached the end of its working life. For the households on the other side, this is the only way in and the only way out.
“A failing bridge is not an inconvenience – it is a household cut off from its groceries, its school bus, its fire truck, its ambulance and many other necessities. This is not the first time Union County has answered that kind of need.
“A few years ago, our Road Department and our engineers replaced a condemned bridge on Fisher Field Road, just off Russell Scenic Highway. They used a modular design that could be built and set in place in a fraction of the time it normally takes – and at a fraction of the cost. Two dozen families went home that night with a permanent way across the Nottely River.
“The bridge you are standing on today was built on that same model. The same funding. The same approach. The same commitment to getting the job done right – and getting it done for the people who depend on it.
“This project was funded by SPLOST – the one-penny sales tax paid by everyone who shops in Union County, both residents and visitors. That means this bridge was built without raising a single dollar in property taxes.
“A bridge is a simple thing. It connects one side to the other. Today, Canada Creek Road is connected again – permanently, safely, and on the public record. Residents on this road are now re-connected to the necessary basics for living in a community in Union County.
“Finally, we would like to thank Greg Jackson, who allowed the county to use his property in order to put in the temporary bridge during this process. Thank you to everyone who came out today to help us pay honor on this project.”
Jackson shared his own appreciation for the county installing a bridge that will last for generations, adding that it was his pleasure to work with the county to enable construction. After Jackson cut the ribbon at the bridge, everyone present signed a piece for him to keep.
Looking ahead, the county will continue to work through and prioritize the state’s list of local bridges that require repairs, with potential for the bridge over the Nottely River on Spiva Cove Road – just north of Fisher Field Road – to be next.
