News Summary
The city of Aiken has halted plans to demolish and replace the Fairfield Street Bridge, which has been closed since 2016. Concerns over preserving this historical structure emerged during a public hearing, leading to a preference for alternatives such as a weight-restricted bridge to alleviate truck traffic in the area. City officials plan to reconsider community input and explore hybrid solutions that maintain historical elements. A public meeting will be held before resuming the approval process for any bridge replacement plans.
Aiken, South Carolina – The city of Aiken has paused its plans to demolish and replace the Fairfield Street Bridge, which has been closed since early 2016. During a public hearing held by the Design Review Board on May 6, City Manager Stuart Bedenbaugh announced the withdrawal of applications related to the project’s demolition and replacement.
The decision comes after board member Pat Corey raised concerns about altering a significant historical structure, as the Fairfield Street Bridge represents one of Aiken’s earliest historical examples dating back to the city’s founding in 1835. It is one of only two original bridges still remaining out of the six that originally spanned the town’s railroad cut.
In addition to the Fairfield Street Bridge, the remaining original bridges include Laurens Street, Newberry Street, Chesterfield Street, York Street, and Union Street. The York Street Bridge was closed in 2016 and subsequently replaced with a modern structure designed to resemble the original wooden bridge.
Corey highlighted the importance of preserving the remaining historic structures, arguing that their loss would diminish the character of the community. Following this sentiment, public comments during the meeting revealed that many community members favored a third option that would involve constructing a weight-restricted bridge, aimed at reducing truck traffic in the residential neighborhood.
City staff previously worked with Davis and Floyd to explore three potential options for replacing the bridge: a design similar to the York Street Bridge, a three-span glu-lam timber bridge, and the complete demolition and rebuilding of the existing bridge. However, at a public input meeting held in January, only the first option was presented, sparking concerns from the community regarding the absence of alternative proposals.
Concerns surrounding truck traffic were prominent, particularly as a bridge resembling the York Street design could encourage heavier vehicles to traverse nearby residential roads. Assistant City Manager Lex Kirkland stated that the current usage of the Fairfield Street Bridge by trucks is minimal, but he recognized the possibility of misrouted drivers choosing to utilize Fairfield Street if the new bridge design incentivizes such traffic.
The railroad overseeing the crossing has indicated a willingness to allow a lower bridge design, yet this potential option appears to have been excluded based on spatial constraints along the tracks. Suggestions from the Design Review Board proposed exploring a hybrid plan that would incorporate aspects of the existing bridge’s design along with a more modern substructure. Additionally, the idea of transforming the Fairfield Street Bridge into a pedestrian-only structure was also put forth.
The city council had initially directed the replacement of the bridge and entered into a funding agreement with the South Carolina Department of Transportation for approximately $1.3 million. The total projected cost for the bridge replacement stands around $3 million, with the city planning to cover the remaining costs from a $25 million state settlement related to activities at the Savannah River Site.
In light of the feedback received during the meeting, Bedenbaugh announced that the city would reconvene to reconsider the input from the board, collaborate with the city council, and hold another public meeting to facilitate further discussion before reapplying for necessary approvals from relevant authorities.
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