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Valdosta council backs letter of support for Lamar Street Bridge replacement with $100,000 local pledge
Summary
Council approved staff’s request to provide a letter of support to the Georgia Department of Transportation for replacement of the timber Lamar Street Bridge; staff said the state's tier-3 bridge program would require a $100,000 local contribution, likely payable in FY 2029.
VALDOSTA, Ga. — The Valdosta Mayor and Council voted Feb. 20 to provide a letter of support to the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) for replacing the aging Lamar Street Bridge.
City Engineer Ben O'Dowd described the bridge as an old wooden structure with “structural abnormalities and issues” and said it has been programmed in GDOT’s bridge replacement program. He told council that because the project was categorized as tier 3 complexity, the standard local contribution is $100,000 and that construction is scheduled in GDOT’s plan for fiscal year 2029.
Why it matters: O’Dowd said replacing the bridge through GDOT would likely be much less expensive for the city than a local replacement. Staff estimated a local replacement could cost on the order of $600,000 to $750,000. The GDOT program requires a local “contribution” but O’Dowd said no payment is due now; the $100,000 would likely be required before advancing construction and is tied to GDOT’s programming schedule.
Details from the presentation: O'Dowd said design work for the project is under way in fiscal year 2025, right-of-way acquisition is programmed for FY 2027 and construction for FY 2029. He called the GDOT arrangement “a no brainer,” noting the local share is fixed for tier-3 projects.
Action: A councilmember moved to approve staff’s request for a letter of support; a second was made and the motion carried by show of hands.
Next steps: The city will provide the letter of support to GDOT. Councilmembers asked no follow-up questions during the formal action. The city will be asked to make the local contribution when GDOT advances the project to construction.
