Defunct Jones Bridge Collapses Into Chattahoochee River

JOHNS CREEK, GA — A portion of an old bridge spanning the Chattahoochee River has fallen into the body of water and it could be months before the structure is removed, the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area said Monday.

Superintendent Bill Cox said the defunct Jones Bridge collapsed on Thursday, Jan. 25 on the Fulton County side of the Hooch. The structure is now lounging in the river near the Recreation Area's Jones Bridge Unit in Johns Creek, Cox said. It appears the metal structures that provided support to the bridge basically "just gave way over time," Cox said.

"I'm sure rust, weather and all of those things contributed to that over time," he added.

Jones Bridge was built in 1904 and was used by the community to access what's now known as the Jones Bridge Park area in Gwinnett County until around 1922, Cox said. The structure fell into disrepair and has not been used since the 1930s. There's been speculation that parts of the bridge have been stolen by people looking to make a profit from scrap metal, but Cox said he could not confirm that.

Warning signs have been put up for paddlers at the Recreation Area's Medlock Bridge Unit, warning them about pieces of metal lurking in the waters. The structure has also been flagged to make anyone on the water aware of its existence.

Cox said it could be a few months before crews can begin removing the metal from the water. Local Recreation Area employees have informed the regional office about the case and will begin work to advertise the project. Once the bids have been received, a contractor will be selected and work will soon follow.

The process that calls for advertising and selecting a contractor alone will take at least a couple of months.

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Images via Bill Cox/Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area