KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A bridge that has stayed closed for years as construction work continued may reopen next week. The Tennessee Department of Transportation said that it was still on track to meet the August 31 due date.
On Nov. 4, 2019, the Broadway Viaduct was closed to all traffic so crews could work to build a new $17 million bridge between West Jackson and West Depot Avenues that spans about 0.23 miles over the Norfolk Southern rail yard. It will effectively connect North Knoxville and South Knoxville, hoping to help traffic flow through downtown easier.
"It would make it a lot easier for some folks, certainly in that Broadway downtown area to get to and from campus," said Mark Nagi, a TDOT spokesperson.
The first game of Vols football is on September 1, the day after the Broadway viaduct is expected to open.
In June 2022, they said the contractor has finished the parapet across the bridge and installed three of the four signal pole foundations at the intersection of Broadway Street and Depot Street. They also said workers installed pedestrian handrails at the south end of the bridge, at the end of the bridge closest to the Knoxville Convention Center.
The contractor continued to fill the Broadway and Depot intersection, preparing it for the asphalt that was later placed down around the end of July. All that remained at that point was to install lighting, an additional signal pole, pour curb ramps, paint the parapet and install more handrails.