AUGUSTA, Ga. () – A major bridge project connecting Augusta and North Augusta is on hold once again. 

The 13th Street Bridge was first approved for replacement in 2022, but the Georgia Department of Transportation has announced they need to push this project back once again.

The bridge was first built back in 1939, and GDOT officials say a replacement is needed after wear and tear spanning 86 years. 

“It’s structurally deficient, and something has to be done about it. That doesn’t mean that it’s not safe to drive on—it just means that it’s getting old, and we need to replace it,” said District 2 Communications Specialist Will Volk.

The project has been put on hold the last three years due to rising costs of materials and ongoing construction at Riverside Village.

But a 15% increase over three years has raised the estimated total cost from $56.6 million to $65 million.

“Inflation since 2021—seems like nothing has been immune to that—and construction costs have certainly gone up as well,” Volk said.

GDOT is in charge of the project, and while construction continues around downtown Augusta, they say the biggest challenge lies on the South Carolina side of the river. 

“You see the property back there—some of that stuff is relatively new, and it’s causing its challenges for us. We’re just trying to make sure we can replace and build a new bridge while keeping the road open to traffic, while also inconveniencing the folks who live nearby as little as possible. It’s tricky, so we have to take a little extra time to figure out how we can do that,” said Volk.

Volk says like the original design, the plan is to have two lanes going each direction, and more pedestrian-friendly features.

“We’re going to have sidewalks that are separated by a barrier, and two travel lanes in each direction. Some other things might need some tweaks—possibly some environmental features,” said Volk. “I know we proposed having lights under the bridge, and we’re still looking at whether we can do that or not.”

While the project is on hold, they are starting the process of going back to the drawing board. 

“This week actually, I believe we’re going to be doing some bridge foundation exploration work. They’re going to be taking some samples out here, and that will help to continue to inform our design plans as we work on finalizing it,” Volk said.

Since the bridge connects the two-state, GDOT is working in conjunction with SCDOT to work with property owners in the area to ultimately secure the right of way.

Volk says there’s no signs of danger, so the bridge is still safe for drivers to use. 

He says the project will be pushed back to 2028 at the earliest, and 2032 at the latest.