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Residents urge action on Hogg Creek Bridge replacement, warn of 27‑mile detours and service disruptions
Summary
Residents told the Ware County commission the planned Hogg Creek Bridge replacement could force 27‑mile detours and year‑long closures that would disrupt emergency services, schools and farming; county staff said they will follow up with GDOT district offices about temporary detour or temporary bridge options but warned permitting and wetland concerns could delay solutions.
Residents of the Wawoma/District 4 area told the Ware County Board of Commissioners on Oct. 13 that a DOT plan to replace the Hogg Creek Bridge could significantly disrupt daily life and emergency response.
Judy Lingenfelter, who identified herself as a resident at 5701 Bigley Highway, said the bridge has been repeatedly closed and repaired and that the proposed replacement — discussed by the Georgia Department of Transportation — would close the crossing for an estimated 12 months beginning in January. Lingenfelter and other neighbors said the nearest detour would add roughly 27 miles one way, affecting elderly residents who check on relatives, farmers who must move equipment between fields, and school buses that currently cross the bridge four times daily.
Residents highlighted public‑safety and insurance implications: local insurers told commenters that being farther from a fire station or on unpaved roads can increase homeowners’ insurance rates or make coverage harder to obtain. Commenters asked the commission to press GDOT for a temporary runaround or detour bridge.
County staff and commissioners discussed options. An engineer on the dais said temporary detour bridges or temporary crossings are sometimes used but can be expensive, require additional funding and trigger wetland and buffer permitting that could delay construction. The county’s engineer said he would meet with the Jessup district office and follow up on what might be feasible in the short term.
Commissioners and staff encouraged residents to continue communications with state transportation officials and said the county would explore options, including whether a temporary structure could be placed within the DOT’s construction limits to reduce permitting burdens. The county also noted that a completed community wildfire defense plan and federal grant funding could support mitigation work in high‑risk zones.
The commission did not take immediate formal action on the bridge at the Oct. 13 meeting but committed staff to follow up with GDOT and report back.
