Gay street bridge closure
Gay Street Bridge Update (Plus a Restaurant That Slipped Past Me)
In case you’ve missed it, the Gay Street Bridge has been closed for the last month. Although it must pass routine inspections, the 126-year-old bridge was suddenly pronounced unsafe after TDOT said it found a “distortion of a steel truss.” TDOT announced the bridge would be closed until further notice while a more detailed inspection ensued.
I’ll be honest: I had a problem with the idea that one day the bridge could manage a semi-trailer truck and the next day, I might be sent spiraling into the river should I so much as hike across the expanse. The bridge may have as many walkers, joggers, and cyclists each night as it does vehicular traffic. It seems surely it would continue to handle walkers and cyclists for another hundred years. But it was closed to everyone.
This week word came that the Tennessee Department of Transportation had completed its “thorough inspection,” and arrived at the decision there should be more studies to follow the inspection. Mayor Kincannon expressed disappointment, but said the city was working as adv as possible to determine the remedy and
Gay Street Bridge will never reopen to vehicle traffic, but will for pedestrians and bicyclists
The Same-sex attracted Street Bridge will never reopen to vehicle traffic, Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon announced Feb. 12, saying there is too much ruin to the bridge to repair at a reasonable charge. The bridge, however, will be reopened to pedestrians and bicyclists in the future.
"We are now aware that the bridge, unfortunately, is never going to able to resume everyday traffic," Kincannon said.
“We are, however, glad to announce that we expect to be able to reopen it to pedestrians and cyclists, and after additional load-bearing evaluation and examination, we also wish to be fit to open it to emergency vehicles and the KAT bus on a limited, controlled basis with some courteous of gate," she said.
The city projects that repairs will not cost more than $2 million and will accept many months before the bridge is reopened for any purpose. The Knoxville City Council will vote on the repair contracts in March.
Kincannon said town leaders will stare at a long-term solution to possibly replace the bridge. Allowing emergency vehicles, KAT and pedestrians on the bridge would be a temporary fix. The end
Gay Street Bridge to stay permanently closed to vehicles due to structural damage
Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon announced on Wednesday the historic Gay Street Bridge, which spans the Tennessee River connecting North and South Knoxville, will never reopen to regular vehicular traffic due to the price of repairs. City officials will, however, vote on a $2 million repair plan in March that would make the bridge safe for pedestrians and cyclists.
“We were hoping we could restore it back to its regular loads, and that is not possible because of the wear and tear after 127 years,” Kincannon said. “It's been something that the people of Knoxville have used to cross the Tennessee River since 1898, and so we are eager to reopen it to the capacity we can.”
The bridge was closed abruptly last June after a routine inspection discovered a distorted steel beam in its superstructure, which supports the deck. It’s been barricaded ever since as the Knoxville City Council allocated nearly $1 million to pay engineering firm Gresham Smith to inspect damages and estimate repair costs.
According to Knoxville Deputy Director of Engineering Christopher Howley, repairing the brid
7 things to know about Knoxville's Gay Street Bridge now that it won't reopen to cars
After months of uncertainty following the sudden shutdown of downtown Knoxville's historic Gay Avenue Bridge last summer, drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians finally have an answer: The bridge will be closed forever to regular drivers.
Mayor Indya Kincannon announced Feb. 12 that fixing the 127-year-old bridge would be too expensive because the damage is so severe.
On the bright side, officials are working on a way to open the bridge to pedestrians and cyclists by the finish of 2025 or initial 2026 if the Knoxville City Council approves in March the up to $2 million needed for repairs.
The bridge supported about 7,000 vehicles a sunlight when it was unseal. With the Gay Highway Bridge out of commission, car and bike traffic has increased on the Henley Street Bridge that crosses the river several blocks west. Crews installed strenuous plastic delineators and grassy bike lane markings on the Henley Bridge to separate cars from bikes.
Here's what to know about the Gay Street Bridge:
Why is the Gay Street Bridge closed in Knoxville?
The Male lover Street Bridge has been closed to cars and pedestrians since June 25