TDOT Opens New Henley Bridge Project Community Center

 

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Department of Transportation Commissioner Gerald Nicely today officially opened TDOT’s new Henley Bridge Project Community Center. The new community center will provide a central location for community members, business owners and motorists to obtain information about the project, to learn more about the detours around the bridge closure and to receive updates on work to repair the bridge. The new center is located at 220 East Blount Avenue across the street from the old Baptist Hospital and will be open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.

 

“We know the importance of preserving this historic bridge while also communicating with the traveling public about the process, detours and what they can expect during the closure,” TDOT Commissioner Gerald Nicely said. "We will attempt to maximize pre-closure information to enable motorists to map out detours ahead of time."

 

TDOT is working to finalize a contract for the reconstruction of the Henley Bridge. TDOT received bids from three prequalified contractors with Britton Bridge, LLC submitting the apparent low bid of $24,696,969. The contract will be formally awarded after a satisfactory review of all bids has been completed. TDOT is instituting a no excuse bonus on the project for completion prior to June 30, 2013 with a maximum bonus of $1 million for completion by December 31, 2012.

 

A website has been created to find out more about the project and the detours. You can get more details at www.tn.gov/henley. You can also follow the project updates on twitter at www.twitter.com/HenleyBridge.

 

“This community center will be a valuable resource for the many people who live, work and travel in this area,” said TDOT Region 1 Director Steve Borden. “Representatives from TDOT and the Henley Bridge project consultant working with the state, Thompson Engineering, will be on hand at the center to assist visitors with information.”

 

A series of meetings have been arranged to inform residents, emergency workers, hospital workers, law enforcement, students and business owners. In 2010, TDOT has presented information about the project in 7 community hosted meetings. The next community informational meeting will be hosted by the City of Knoxville on September 28, 2010 in the large assembly room in the City County Building in downtown Knoxville. Future meetings are planned at area hospitals, the University of Tennessee and other community venues.

 

 

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