Traffic operations on the Savannah River were suspended about 1:45 p.m. Friday after a barge crane hit the bridge spanning the river. While operations have not been officially closed, survey boats are on route to inspect the damage and give the final word on official closure, according to the Charleston Coast Guard Command Center.
The bridge was reopened for both southbound and northbound travel at 5:45 p.m. following a bridge inspection that deemed it safe for the traveling public, according to a statement from the Georgia Department of Transportation.
“The US 17/SR 404 Spur Bridge in Savannah will be closed beginning this afternoon so that the agency can conduct an inspection of the bridge, following a bridge strike incident in which a crane struck the underside of the main span of the bridge during a crane transit on the Savannah River,” GDOT wrote in a 3:21 p.m. statement.
“The bridge, known as the Talmadge Memorial Bridge, will remain closed for an indeterminate period out of an abundance of caution to inspect for any possible damage, a measure taken for the safety of the traveling public,” the statement continues.
The tug boat — Lona Myrick — is owned by Myrick Marine, a full service marine contractor that owns and operates “one of the most extensive fleets of floating marine construction equipment in the southeastern United States.”
This is an ongoing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
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