Georgia DOT plans to raise Savannah bridge for larger ships

SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — A Georgia state agency says it plans to raise Savannah's towering suspension bridge to make room for larger cargo ships calling on the city's busy seaport. The state Department of Transportation's board has approved hiring a contractor this year while the project is still being designed. A DOT construction program manager says the plan is to raise the bridge and replace its decades-old suspension cables in the same project. He estimated the cost could reach $175 million. The Eugene Talmadge Memorial Bridge that spans the Savannah River at the Georgia-South Carolina line opened in 1991.