KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — After more than a year, the ramps and sidewalks at Jackson Avenue in downtown Knoxville are back open.
The $8.7 million repair project started in September 2019. The ramps were decaying after being built in 1920 and were deemed structurally deficient, according to officials.
The project was pushed back by a few days due to weather delays and the COVID-19 pandemic, officials said. As part of the project, crews worked to preserve some of the historical structures in the ramps while also repairing them.
They put 100-year-old brick pavers back in place on the ramps, after removing and cleaning them. New utility infrastructures were also installed as part of the project. Crews with Bell and Associates Construction also removed the old deficient ramps and installed newer structures, officials said.
They said that foundations for the historic buildings were also reinforced. Concrete supports for the new ramps were poured and decks were also built. The ramps were designed, detailed and color to replicate the originals, officials said.
The West Ramp opened on New Year's Eve 2020, and the East Ramp opened on Friday.
Officials said that some utility reconstruction work remains, as well as final stormwater installation. However, they can be used once again to enter the Old City.
