‘Olive’ those crashes … and still no solutions for infamous bridge

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – With dozens of signs and warnings, the infamous Olive Road bridge seems to be a dangerous lure for drivers.

Despite countless inspections from CSX and the city, no one wants to raise the overpass due to costs.

When you hear Olive Road, you probably think of the bridge falling victim to another box truck. Some of the drivers and the families that live nearby have ideas on how to fix this headache, but the city says it’s not that easy.

It’s happened too many times to count.

PREVIOUS ACCIDENTS AT OLIVE ROAD BRIDGE:

“We’re really a little disappointed at this point,” said John Ussery, Assistant Director of Traffic Engineering.

Some would even say it happens “olive” the time.

“We just kind of keep going through this same routine at this point,” said Ussery.

Ussery says at this point there’s not much more they can do.

So, this Olive Road bridge will continue to be “a headache.”

Social media is suggesting hanging something above the road, right before the bridge so if drivers hit that they’ll know their vehicles are too tall to fit.

“I’m very much against hanging something in the road because as soon as I do … it becomes Augusta’s responsibility and if somebody strikes that pipe or whatever we hang in the road it becomes our liability and our problem,” said Ussery.

What about closing the road off?

“If we closed it, there would only be one way in and one way out if we did close it,” said Ussery.

Emergency vehicles would take more time to get to where they need to go.

“At this point, there’s not a whole lot more that we can do,” he said.

That’s because the railroad controls the bridge and the road under it.

“The local government and Augusta have very little say in what they do and what they can and can’t do. even the state government has little say in what they can and can’t do. They’re sort of off by themselves regulated by the highest level of government,” said Ussery.

Augusta Traffic Engineering workers says they’re working with CSX on a solution and have had talks about what to do, but no plans have been made.

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