State rolls out $3.5M makeover plan for historic Tallassee bridge

TALLASSEE - Tallassee's iconic landmark is getting a bit of a facelift.

Crews are set to begin painting and maintenance work on the Benjamin Fitzpatrick Bridge on March 1. The two-lane bridge crosses the Tallapoosa River on Alabama 14 and connects Tallassee to east Tallassee, as well as Elmore and Tallapoosa counties.

The design and construction of the bridge is unique. The Encyclopedia of Alabama notes that when it opened to traffic on Dec. 10, 1940, at a cost of $600,000, it was the longest curved bridge in the world. The "horizontally arched" bridge stretches 1,738 feet and soars 143 feet above the river.

The Alabama Department of Transportation has awarded the $3.5 million project to Omega Coatings and Construction LLC of Tarpon Springs, Fla. The work is expected to take about 16 months, but all work is weather dependent and delays are possible.

The bridge has served as both a rite of passage and bane for local drivers. Young drivers either look forward to driving across "the Fitz" for the first time or dreading the activity.

"I won't drive across it unless I absolutely have to, and if I’m riding across it I have my eyes closed," said Tammy Pelham, who lives just outside of Tallassee. An Auburn fan, she rides across the bridge several times a year during college football season on the way to Auburn to take in home games. "One time my husband stopped in the middle of the bridge just to scare me. I seriously considered divorce for several days after that."

In 2021 the average daily traffic count for the bridge was 11,388, ALDOT figures show. The bridge is named for Benjamin Fitzpatrick, who served as Alabama's 11th governor from 1841 to 1845 and later served as a U.S. senator.

The work will start with the contractor placing a containment structure on the side and under the bridge, said Brantley Kirk, a spokeswoman for ALDOT. The enclosure will be in place to catch, collect, and remove all residue while prepping and painting the bridge. In addition to painting, the bridge will undergo maintenance designed to extend the life of the bridge, including applying a layer of sealant to the concrete bridge deck.

Other work will include new fencing, removing and repairing areas of concrete, and performing minor repairs to steel, expansion joints and bearings.

Lane closures will be necessary for safety during the work, but they will not be permitted from 6 to 8 a.m. or 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Traffic will be directed using temporary traffic signals with the possibility of flagmen.

Project managers are advising drivers to plan for delays from lane closures and to be mindful of equipment and people working in the work zone, Kirk said.

Contact Montgomery Advertiser reporter Marty Roney at [email protected].