COLUMBIA, S.C. — The John E. Caldwell Bridge in Newberry County has reopened after more than three years of construction. Originally slated to reopen in November 2022, the project took an additional 11 months to complete.
“It’s been a long time coming because they really shut down our access off of Boundary Street. It’s probably been seven years ago or so,” said Newberry resident Joe Goeckner. He expressed relief at seeing the bridge, also known as the Boundary Street Bridge, open again after being closed for years.
The closure had caused a slight inconvenience for Goeckner and his church, located next to the bridge’s exit onto Nance Street. “We had access to our parking lots off of Nance Street, but it created a lot of congestion. I think it’s going to end up solving or improving those things anyway,” he noted.
Plans to reconstruct and relocate the bridge were first introduced during a county public information meeting in 2013. Goeckner attended that meeting and recalled the concerns voiced by residents worried about the potential changes to their neighborhood. “They came out and were concerned it was going to change their neighborhood. I respect that, and I think at the end of the day the city got behind it and the DOT made that change,” he explained.
In 2014, the city agreed to replace the bridge instead of relocating it. However, residents had to wait another seven years before construction officially began in September 2021, leading to the bridge's closure until its completion.
According to City Manager Jason Taylor, the bridge is vital for the community. “The Boundary Street Bridge is an important bridge to the city of Newberry. It connects two of our main arteries, Drayton Street and Nance Street,” Taylor stated. “We are very glad DOT took this project on, and they have done a wonderful job with getting the bridge reconstructed and open again.”
The John E. Caldwell Bridge, named after a long-time county councilman, officially reopened on October 24.
