KNOXVILLE, Tennessee — Two Jackson Avenue ramps in the Old City should at last be open fully to cars and pedestrians by the end of the year, the city announced Monday.
Finish-up work has been delayed because Bell & Associates Construction wants to remove and repour some sections of stamped concrete, city spokesman Eric Vreeland said. Some of the sections didn't turn out as planned, prompting the redo.
According to the city, the ramps had been scheduled to partly open Tuesday, with work continuing around temporary lane closures. The three-week extension will avoid the on-and-off inconvenience to motorists of the temporary lane shutdowns, according to the city.
Various parts of Jackson Avenue have been undergoing work for years. Replacement of the century-old ramps, which lead to and down from Gay Street, is the latest component.
It's been a 16-month project. The ramps were decaying and deemed structurally deficient.
The project retains the original pavers. The ramps came about as Gay Street was elevated in the early 20th century.
Including acquiring right of way and design work, the work has cost about $8.7 million. Vreeland said the city has invested a little less than $300,000.
Other work still to be done: lighting installations and final asphalt paving and cleanup.
City Downtown Coordinator Rick Emmett said in a news release: "This was a once-in-a-century opportunity to strengthen building foundations and bring the ramps up to modern safety standards. In the end, this new bridge pays homage to the historic one, right down to reuse of the original brick pavers. The new ramps should last another 100 years, just as the originals did.”