The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) announced today that the Henley Bridge in Knoxville will reopen to traffic before the Thanksgiving holiday this fall. The bridge has been closed to traffic since a major rehabilitation project began in January 2011.
Mayor Rogero gave this statement regarding the announcement:
"TDOT's announcement that the Henley Bridge will open to traffic by Thanksgiving is very good news. The closing has had a negative impact on businesses and commuters, and I appreciate Commissioner Schroer and TDOT's commitment to getting the bridge re-opened as soon as possible." - Mayor Madeline Rogero
The Henley Bridge Rehabilitation project was initially scheduled to be complete in June 2013, but the project was delayed upon the discovery of further deterioration within the bridge's concrete piers. Based on the added repairs, TDOT did not anticipate opening the bridge to traffic until late February 2014.
"Work has progressed rapidly over the past several months, and we are so pleased to be able to reopen this bridge to traffic before the busy holiday season," said TDOT Commissioner John Schroer. "We realize the hardship this closure has placed on residents, business owners, and travelers. We appreciate the public's patience as we move towards the total completion of this important rehabilitation."
The rehabilitated Henley Bridge will have a number of new features, including wider sidewalks for pedestrians and bike lanes in each direction.
The contractor will still have lane closures on Henley Bridge restricting traffic to 1 travel lane in each direction as crews complete staining, decorative and street lighting, and a gas line that runs the length of the bridge. The contractor will also have efforts focused on removal of the official detour and sections of paving that will occur on Neyland Drive, Moody Avenue and Chapman Highway.
The entire project is expected to be complete by June 3, 2014.
Photos of the final deck pour on the Henley Bridge can be found here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tndot/sets/72157635237492553
To learn more about the Henley Bridge project, please visit
www.tn.gov/henley.