Despite an impassioned plea by Senoia's Methodists, it appears the fate of the town's historic wooden bridge on Bridge Street is sealed.

Native Senoian Hal Sewell made his second plea in weeks to try and get the council to reconsider its decision to close the bridge to vehicular traffic March 1.

Sewell said he can recall growing up and playing all around that bridge and wondered why the current bridge couldn't be repaired by Norfolk Southern Railroad, who owns the property.

When the bridge is closed, Sewell said, the closest route for people to get to the Methodist church from Ga. Highway 16 will be lost to them.

“We try to think of ways to get people to church, and now we're closing down the route,” he said.

Sewell could not understand why the railroad would not pay for the repairs since it is the company's property.

He also added that he had gotten a copy of a recent Georgia Department of Transportation report that said the bridge was not in critical condition.

Mayor Joan Trammell said she has learned quite a lot about dealing with railroads during her tenure in office and the offer that Norfolk Southern made was too good to pass up.

The railroad will deed the property to the city with the understanding that if the railroad line is ever opened again, the city will give the property back to the railroad.

If the city does relinquish the property back to the railroad, the railroad has pledged to build a new wooden bridge over the tracks.

Trammell's main concern is that a wooden bridge remain in the town and the deal with the railroad ensures that.

The bridge will still remain open to pedestrian, bike and cart traffic, but by not allowing vehicles, the city is given time to either rebuild the bridge or let the railroad do it.

The mayor added that the council had voted on the measure with all the available information and said if the church or some other group could come up with the money to fix the bridge, she would welcome it.

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