TN: US 41/64/72 TN River/Nickajack Lake Bridge Replacement

[Brian556]

The old 1928 bridge is currently being replaced.






Detour Signage:

This defies logic- i don't know why they would omit 2 US Highways and sign a hidden state route. Not only that, the SR 2 sign is wider than it should be. These signs were posted by a barricade conpany.

[codyg1985]

I still haven't figured out why the original bridge has been closed while the new one is being built. I walked out on the north approach a few months ago, and I noticed some cracks along the shoulder that may have indicated that the road was sinking, but I don't know if that's the reason the bridge was closed.

[Brian556]

It had to do with digging the foundations for the new bridge so close to the old one.

http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2011/dec/27/marion-county-bridge-close-jan-9/

[gta1984]

I wish they could have saved the old one as a pedestrian bridge. Back in December I drove across it and had no desire to do so again. Even if it was still an option I would either take I-24 or drive down TN-156 to New Hope and cross there. The one thing I wish was that they would go for something besides a standard concrete bridge.

[Alps]

Construction update? Last I saw, the new bridge doesn't open until February, and the photo in the one news article I tracked down shows the old one still in the background. I'm particularly interested in when they're anticipating removing the old bridge - hopefully not till after the Nashville meet!

[jpi]

I was not planning on including this project on the tour since it is a good 90 minute drive down I-24 from where we will be, still construction activity going on in the area and old bridge is still standing.

[codyg1985]

I imagine Steve will go and look at it separately while he is down here.

[Alps]

I imagine Steve will go and look at it separately while he is down here.

Exactly - but I'll be more interested in planning some time to check it out if the old bridge remains. I guess there's still no demo date, then.

[hbelkins]

This would be as good a place as any on AA Roads to congratulate Cody on passing his PE exam.

[codyg1985]

Thanks, H.B.!

[SteveG1988]

Time to dig out this topic.

Just went over the I-24 bridge today. All that remains of the 1928 span is the piers. They removed the final truss within the past month and a half.

[bugo]

There goes another piece of history, destroyed in the name of blandness and sameness.

[hbelkins]

Actually, I'd guess that it got taken down in the name of structural deficiency.

[Brian556]

This was taken a few weeks ago. There is no trace of the old bridge left.

[codyg1985]

Sad. Not enough money for a signature span replacement, I guess.

[SteveG1988]

Sad. Not enough money for a signature span replacement, I guess.

they probably deemed having a low maintence span to be important.

[hbelkins]

No real need to waste money building a fancy bridge instead of a functional one, especially with I-24 right next door.