The City of Athens has proposed a new project to rehabilitate the Stimson Avenue Bridge over the Hocking River.
The rehabilitation will include improvements such as replacing the deck, approach slabs, guardrails, abutments and substructure, according to the City of Athens website. It will also include new lighting and a pedestrian path across the bridge for accessibility and safety.
The project is currently in the design phase. An open house was held Sept. 18 for the public to provide feedback that will be incorporated into the design.
All comments are accepted until Saturday for anyone to provide feedback on the bridge's design.
Assistant City Engineer Gillian Garland said the bridge will have a longer lifespan if renovated.
Garland said the bridge's deck, back walls and joints are deteriorating; however, the superstructure and load-carrying portions of the substructure are in good condition.
“By performing a major rehabilitation soon, the life of the bridge can be extended, and complete structure replacement can be deferred for decades, ultimately providing significant long-term savings to the City of Athens,” Garland wrote in an email.
Garland also said that an alternate detour route will be open for users on the Hockhocking Adena Bikeway when the section of the path under the bridge closes. The detour route is proposed to circle the new fire station for all pedestrians and cyclists to access.
One concern about renovating the Stimson Avenue Bridge is its effect on the Hocking River Riparian Area Project.
According to a previous report from The Post, Athens City Council has signed up for a study with the United States Army Corps of Engineers to improve the conditions of the Hocking River. The project aims to ensure the river’s quality and improve the ecosystem for plants and animals.
According to Service-Safety Director Andy Stone, the renovation will not affect the Hocking River.
“(The) two different geographic areas and the projects are unrelated,” Stone wrote in an email. “The Hocking Study and prospective project is specifically in the area from White’s Mill to Richland Avenue. The Stimson Bridge is quite a ways downstream from that.”
The Stimson Avenue Bridge project has digital copies of plans and exhibits from the public meeting on the City of Athens website.
The bridge is expected to be out for bid and construction to begin in 2025.
