A $1.79 million bid to realign part of Westbridge Road and build a new bridge over Morning Creek was approved by the Fayette County Commission Thursday night.

The realignment will remove a sharp curve that has been cited as a public safety hazard on the stretch of road in north Fayette County.

Once complete, the road and bridge will meet design requirements for a speed limit of 45 mph, according to county officials.

The $1.79 million bid from Southeastern Site Development Inc. was the lowest of five bids received on the project. Funding will come from the 2004 transportation sales tax approved by Fayette County voters.

The new 180-foot-long bridge will be built south of the existing bridge over Morning Creek, according to county staff.

Commissioner Lee Hearn said the aging bridge needed to be upgraded, but Commissioner Allen McCarty said he thought the existing bridge was fine, and since he drives the road at the speed limit he doesn’t have any problem negotiating the curve.

Although the project is not officially part of the West Fayetteville Bypass, the northern segment of the bypass intersects with Westbridge Road at Ga. Highway 92. Westbridge Road terminates at an unsignalized intersection with Ga. Highway 138 in south Fulton County just short of the intersection of Hwys. 138 and 279 near Our Lady of Mercy Catholic High School.

McCarty was one of two votes against the project along with Commissioner Steve Brown, who said he never agreed with the way SPLOST projects have been selected.

The motion authorizing the contract passed on a 3-2 vote with Commissioners Lee Hearn, Robert Horgan and Herb Frady voting in favor.