Georgia Ports, DOT to study possible replacement of Savannah’s Talmadge Bridge (Atlanta: live in, cost)

[SavannahLife]

Originally Posted by Airforceguy

I honestly think your scenario is the most likely one to happen. Savannah has been wanting to eliminate the I-16 flyover for awhile now and this would be the perfect time for them to get this done. Also this would help the city's Arena and Canal District plan as far as getting a new municipal complex built.

GA Surv and AF Guy... those sound like really neat plans, and would be quite sensible in fact. Although .. a tall order. But it sounds like a good way to go about it.

[GA Survivor]

I know it is a massive undertaking and probably won't occur. The one factor in the whole thing is Bridge height. Right now the 19000 TEU ships are 215ft. The new 22000 ones will be even taller so with room to safely clear, I am guessing we will need 275 ft.! That is 90' higher than now, there is no way to keep the bridge as sort as it is. The only option is extending, we will see how important the state thinks the port and Savannah are. I do believe it will be a billion dollar project.

[Airforceguy]

Originally Posted by GA Survivor

I know it is a massive undertaking and probably won't occur. The one factor in the whole thing is Bridge height. Right now the 19000 TEU ships are 215ft. The new 22000 ones will be even taller so with room to safely clear, I am guessing we will need 275 ft.! That is 90' higher than now, there is no way to keep the bridge as sort as it is. The only option is extending, we will see how important the state thinks the port and Savannah are. I do believe it will be a billion dollar project.

I concur, this will be a billion dollar project and will certainly be one of the most, if not the most expensive project in GDOT history. The fact remains that the state of Georgia has invested a lot of capital into the port and outside of Hartsfield-Jackson, the Port of Savannah is the single biggest economic engine in the state. Georgia is already the logistics hub of the Southeast and is now setting its sights on being THE port of call for every major inland market east of the Mississippi and building a taller and longer bridge will be key to that.

[WanderingImport]

At what point does it become more feasible to go underground?

[Newsboy]

Originally Posted by WanderingImport

At what point does it become more feasible to go underground?

$2 billion project

[GA Survivor]

The biggest competition to the project is the spaghetti junction mess in Atlanta. I understand they are going to do something to attempt and fix it. That will probably be a 2 billion dollar fiasco.

[cjseliga]

Originally Posted by WanderingImport

At what point does it become more feasible to go underground?

That's what I was thinking, isn't Elon's Boring Co. supposed to be making tunneling cheaper! This would be a great project to see how much cheaper and better he can do it.

It would be interesting to see the cost of two three lane tunnels from the island to the city, would it really cost $2 billion?

[bellhead]

Originally Posted by WanderingImport

At what point does it become more feasible to go underground?

Tha's what I am thinking... Hurricane proof, & it's future proof.

[Newsboy]

Originally Posted by bellhead

Tha's what I am thinking... Hurricane proof, & it's future proof.

Tunnels scare me. I vote no. Plus the bridge adds so much to Savannah’s skyline. I’d hate to see it go.

[masonbauknight]

Folks, Savannah will never have major transportation tunnels -- impossible in most southeastern coastal cities, and Savannah is a poster child for that. Too much rain, too much porous low-lying land. Yamacraw Bluff, the exception to Savannah's sandy soil, is too small and gives way quickly to wetlands. A tunnel is impossible as a replacement for the Talmadge Bridge, especially linking Savannah with world capitals like Hardeeville and Ridgeland. Big storms (and hurricanes) bring torrents of rain that swamp tunnels immediately. It's not going to happen, and the price tag is impossible. A span it will be -- hopefully with a pedestrian lane.