State lawmaker spearheading Augusta Canal bridge effort shows off planned location

Behind TopGolf and Bass Pro Shops off Riverwatch Parkway, there’s a rough path meandering through wetlands and across several well-placed planks. It’s a short walk to a small clearing at the Augusta Canal.

“This is where the bridge will be,” said Georgia state Rep. Mark Newton, (R-Augusta), who is spear-heading the $2 million project that will connect the Riverwatch Parkway side of the canal to the canal trail. “We looked at different options. We were really looking for convenience, particularly for people with children and strollers, people with dogs, and people with bikes: How can they access the canal?”

The makeshift pathway has been partially cleared – enough to get to the canal. It’s quiet with just a slight hum coming from the I-20 bridge. The foliage is lush and beautiful.

More: Committee approves plan for pedestrian bridge across Augusta Canal

The originally planned location was further down the canal behind new apartment buildings in The Village at Riverwatch. Newton said this is a better location because a new access road won’t be needed and the traffic getting to the entrance won’t interfere with the apartments.

The new location is ideal because from the new parking area it is about “two football fields” to the canal trail, and in another “three or four football fields, you’ll be at one of the prettiest areas in Georgia, which is the bank of the Savannah River that we call the clearing.”

The clearing is a popular stopping spot with restrooms, benches, and picnic tables. “There’s a sandy area where kids can roll up with pants legs up and dogs can jump in and frolic if they want to,” he said. The Augusta Canal Authority maintains that area.

After leaving the canal area, visitors will find several entertainment venues, restaurants, and stores in the area. The Village at Riverwatch, at the intersection of I-20 and Riverwatch Parkway, has grown into a booming commercial, entertainment, and residential area since its anchor store Costco opened in 2011.

A parking area will be added, and a raised walkway will be constructed from the parking lot to the 275-foot-longbridge. Recently, the Augusta Commission voted to accept a $500,000 grant from the state to begin the project. The remaining costs will be from donations and other sources, he said.

“We think it will be an exceptional opportunity for people around the area,” he said.  “Who knows what else will go here if there starts to be more foot and bike traffic.”

This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Proposed location for Augusta Canal bridge behind Bass Pro Shops