KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The city of Knoxville announced they are working with the Tennessee Department of Transportation to create protected bike and pedestrian lanes on the Henley Bridge.
The city said they are working on adding delineators on the bridge, which are vertical markers that guide traffic by indicating the alignment of a road or separating lanes.
This is a response to more bikers and pedestrians using Henley Bridge during the Gay Street Bridge closure.
The Gay Street Bridge was initially closed in June 2024 after an inspection routine from TDOT revealed a "compromised element."
Since its closure, TDOT continued its inspections which they found a distorted steel truss. The city council then supported an $850,000 budget for bridge assessment and repair design.
On Nov. 11, the city announced that Design Consultant Gresham Smith completed a drone inspection of the Gay Street Bridge and did not find any structural issues. Gresham Smith is expected to have a list of necessary repairs and cost estimates for the city sometime in December, according to the city.
The delineators are expected to be added to the Henley Bridge by mid-December.