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Beaufort County bridge was damaged in 2007
The South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) has resolved its claim against Savannah Marine Service, Inc. and Marinex Construction Co. for the costs of repairing the J.E. McTeer Bridge on S.C. 802 in downtown Beaufort.
The fixed span was damaged on April 26, 2007 when a Marinex crane being towed by a Savannah Marine Services tugboat hit the structure. SCDOT filed a claim of $1.4 million to recover the repair costs. All parties involved agreed to a settlement of $1,030,000.
The accident required replacement of all five of the large beams in the bridge deck.
The McTeer Bridge is a vital transportation link between the mainland and the sea islands on a daily basis, but also serves as a vital connection in hurricane evacuation.
Despite the extensive damage, SCDOT engineers determined that one lane of the bridge could be opened to traffic during peak periods while repairs were being made. Repair work was accelerated as much as possible. SCDOT traffic engineers worked with local law enforcement officials to reduce congestion.
The result was that SCDOT was able to reopen the bridge on June 19, which was five weeks ahead of schedule. The early opening also prevented traffic disruptions during the July 4th holiday, followed by the Water Festival, both of which are major events in the Beaufort area.
