TDOT Meets With Stakeholders About Upcoming Henley Bridge Closure

 

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Department of Transportation officials announced that the Henley Bridge will officially close on January 3, 2011 during a stakeholders meeting this afternoon at the Henley Bridge Community Center. TDOT, along with representatives from project contractor Britton Bridge, LLC and project inspection consultant Thompson Engineering, met with community leaders, residents, business owners and motorists to explain the closure process and to go over key details about the detour route. 

 

Motorists may already notice the installation of detour signs which started the week of October 18 and will continue through this week. This week, crews will also start work on the southbound off ramp of James White Parkway to prepare for the closure of Davenport Road. Davenport Road SE between Sevierville Pike and E. Moody Avenue will close on November 1, 2010 and will remain closed for the duration of the project.

 

The contractor is allowed to reduce lanes in each direction on Neyland Drive only between March and mid-August to avoid game day traffic at the University of Tennessee.

 

Britton Bridge plans to work six days a week to avoid disrupting Sunday services near the bridge. There could be some exception for Sunday work, but the public will be notified. Crews plan to work some double shifts to keep the project on schedule. The contractor will receive $1,000,000 if they finish by December 31, 2012. If work is finished by February 15, 2013, the contractor will get 75% or $750,000. Britton would receive $500,000 if the project is completed by March 31, 2013 or $250,000 if the work is finished by May 15, 2013. There will be no bonus if the project is finished on time which would be June 30, 2013. After that day, the contractor will face liquidated damages of $4,500 a day until the project is completed.

 

Concrete and steel from the bridge will be recycled instead of buried at a dump site. TDOT contractor Britton Bridge will recycle 24,000 tons of concrete from the bridge. It will be crushed and used in several different types of building materials such as base stone. About 800 tons of reinforcing steel will be removed from the concrete and melted down by Ameirsteel to be reused on the new bridge instead of mining new ore to replace the old steel. Old asphalt from the bridge deck will be milled up and recycled. The recycling process will save money and resources.

 

To find out more about the Henley Bridge project you can go to www.tn.gov/henley or follow the project on twitter at www.twitter.com/HenleyBridge. The Henley Bridge Community Center at 220 East Blount Avenue is also the project office for inspectors, consultants and TDOT staff involved with the project. Visitors can get information about the Henley Bridge Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. by coming to the center or calling (865) 577-6988.