State Route 92 Bridge in Dandridge Opens a Month Ahead of Schedule
Wednesday, April 14, 2010 | 06:21am
Contractor to Receive Full Incentive
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Department of Transportation contract crews re-opened the State Route 92 Bridge over the French Broad River in Dandridge today more than a month ahead of schedule. The $1.4 million project was schedule to be complete by May 15, 2010, however, after a final bridge inspection, the bridge reopened to traffic shortly after 11:00 a.m. ET on Wednesday, April 14. TDOT provided an incentive of $100,000 to reopen the bridge by April 17.
“The State Route 92 Bridge is extremely important to motorists in Jefferson County, so it was a priority to safely complete the project as quickly as possible and restore this vital link to the community,” said TDOT Commissioner Gerald Nicely. “We are pleased to reopen access to this bridge more than a month ahead of schedule thanks to the diligent efforts of the contractor.”
The $1,483,607 project began in November 2009 with spot painting of the structural steel underneath the bridge without any traffic interruptions to keep the bridge open during the winter months. On March 1, the bridge was completely closed to traffic as crews made repairs to the structural stringers, removed asphalt, performed partial and full bridge deck repairs and applied a new bridge deck sealant.
“Crews with Southern Constructors worked 24 hours a day, seven days a week with some 52 crew members to repair the structural deficiencies of the bridge and complete the project,” said TDOT Region One Director Steve Borden. “We understand this was a major inconvenience to motorists in this area and we appreciate their patience during this closure.”
For up to date travel information, motorists may dial 5-1-1 from any land line or cell phone or follow TDOT on Twitter. For traffic information in Knoxville and Tri-Cities areas follow @Knoxville511. For statewide travel information follow @TN511.
As always, motorists are encouraged to Know Before You Go! and check traffic conditions before leaving. When travelers encounter traffic delays on the roadway they should always practice common sense safety precautions when using any of these services and avoid texting, tweeting or operating a cell phone when driving.
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For More Information Contact:
Yvette Martinez
TDOT Region One Community Relations Officer
865-594-0161
Yvette.Martinez@tn.gov