The city of Knoxville said crews are making good progress on new ramps that will connect Jackson Avenue to Gay Street in downtown Knoxville.
The West Jackson Avenue ramps project has been going on since summer 2019. The city said the framework for two new ramps is starting to take shape.
The bridge beams are on track to be built by this summer and the original brick paving will be put back into the new decks after that. The city said the new ramps should open on time by fall.
The city said it needed to demolish and replace the ramps last year, saying they became structurally deficient.
When the ramps reopen, more than $19 million will have been invested in this section of downtown/the Old City. That includes major investments in the 100 block of Gay Street, Jackson Avenue streetscape upgrades, and the purchase of the McClung Warehouses site and the Jackson Avenue parking lot.
The cost of the ramp replacement is being split three ways. The federal government is the largest contributor – $8.1 million. The state’s investment is $1.75 million, and the city is funding $274,200.