Pile driving was set to begin today at 9 a.m. for structural support columns of the new Mount Vernon Highway bridge over I-285, according to a press release from the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT).
Contractors will begin the work weather permitting. Wednesday’s forecast has a slight chance of rain starting in late afternoon and throughout the evening, according to Weatherbug.com.
GDOT said in the release that a pile is a steel or concrete post driven into the ground to provide support for the new bridge. A pile-driver machine hammers the pile into the ground.
People who live or work near the bridge can expect to hear the rhythmic beating of the pile driver as work continues for approximately three weeks between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Weekend work is possible, and the schedule is subject to change.
The work is part of the I-285 Westbound Auxiliary Lane project between Roswell Road and Riverside Drive. The project also includes the reconstruction of the Mont Vernon Highway bridge.
The existing Mount Vernon bridge was closed last month after a truck hit a support column causing major structural damage. The GDOT decided to accelerate construction on the new bridge rather than repair the old one.
