The Peachtree City Council has selected a design option for widening the existing cart path bridge that spans Lake Peachtree along Ga. Highway 54.

The only problem with the project is that it will necessitate the bridge being closed for between two and four weeks, City Engineer David Borkowski told council last week.

But the other two options considered would either have obstructed the view of the lake from the highway or required a significant amount of additional work with the lake to complete, Borkowski said.

The project approved by council will involve adding additional supports underneath and removal of the current bridge “top” which would be replaced with a 12-foot width path.

Currently the bridge is 7 feet wide, barely large enough to accommodate a golf cart and a pedestrian side-by-side, Borkowski noted.

The current wooden railing would also be replaced with a structure that could handle more of an impact if necessary, he added.

The project is being funded by revenues from the 2003 transportation special purpose local option sales tax, Borkowski said. With an estimated $76,000 for design and construction estimated at $470,000 the project has a potential to save $305,000 from its original estimate, he noted.

Councilman Doug Sturbaum said he wanted the city to see if the contractors can work the project on weekends also to minimize the downtime because the path is a crucial element to the area. The path is a main linkage point for path system users going to and from the Library-City Hall complex.