Delayed Reopening of McBrien, South Moore Bridges to Early 2025
CHATTANOOGA – Two major bridges spanning Interstate 24 in Chattanooga will remain off-limits until early 2025 owing to unanticipated delays. However, officials disclose that the rest of the Interstate 75-Interstate 24 interchange revitalization project remains on course for completion by the end of next year.
Bridge Beam Replacement
Replacement efforts for defective beams on the South Moore and McBrien roads have been finalized this week. Initially, the bridges were planned for reopening within the present month. The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) spokesperson, Beth Emmons, stated in an email, “The project is approximately 40% completed. The beam replacement and delays incurred with it did not affect the overall completion date.” The project’s budget stays unaffected at $161 million.
Project Price Tag and Contractors
Wright Brothers Construction Co., a construction firm based in Charleston, Tennessee, secured the project as the lowest bidder. In contrast to the silence from Wright Brothers about the beam replacement, their director of marketing, Joelle M. Cavitt, revealed that the deficiencies were detected and reported to state officials in January. She added that the construction of the bridges’ concrete decks could commence once beams replacements are completed. The company is responsible for covering the cost of this replacement.
Route and Ramp Closures
Alongside the continuous bridge closures are the closed entrance and exit ramps to I-24 between Belvoir Avenue and Moore Road. A detour through Belvoir Avenue and Spring Creek Road is currently operational for local traffic. Simultaneously, the left lane on North Terrace and South Terrace is unavailable due to the ongoing installation of drainage structures and retaining and noise wall construction, as disclosed by transportation officials in their weekly update.
Project Repercussions
“The new timeline is a direct result of five new bridge beams being refabricated, at TDOT’s request, to adhere to the standards and specifications defined in the contract,” stated the state agency via a press release. Concurrently closing both bridges has accelerated construction, saving six months to a year’s worth of traffic impacts.
I-75-I-24 Interchange Revamping
The history of the I-75-I-24 interchange, referred to as “about the worst intersection we got in the state” in 2017 by a former state Department of Transportation Commissioner, voyages back to the 1960s when it was initially designed. Over the years, the design has faced consistent criticism from community leaders and residents, culminating in the commencement of construction in 2018 to revamp the split and adapt it to current traffic needs. Further locker plans for the I-24 corridor, encompassing improvements to increase capacity, relieve congestion, and enhance operations, are tabled for 2027.
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