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| NOVEMBER 11, 2024 |
• Design Consultant Gresham Smith has completed a drone inspection of the Gay St. Bridge and did not find any additional structural issues
• Gresham Smith is expected to have a full list of necessary repairs and cost estimates to the City some time in December
• In the meantime, the City is working to add delineators on the Henley Bridge to create protected bike/pedestrian lanes—work anticipated to be complete by mid-December
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| ONGOING TRAFFIC MITIGATION EFFORTS DURING CLOSURE |
To minimize any traffic flow issues the Gay St. Bridge closure might be causing, we are:
• Updating KAT Routes in South Knoxville
• Changing traffic light patterns
• Working to increase scooter zones and other multi-modal improvements across the river |
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| SEPTEMBER 17, 2024 |
City Council Supports Funding for Bridge Assessment and Repair Design
A first reading budget amendment to add to the Capital Fund included $850,000 for Gay Street Bridge Repairs. The funds will be used to hire an engineering firm to provide professional analysis and design services specific to future repairs for the Gay Street Bridge. The amendment will go into effect after the second reading of the ordinance on October 1. |
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| AUGUST 12, 2024 |
Bridge Will Remain Closed for Further Assessments
The Tennessee Department of Transportation has completed its thorough inspection of the Gay Street Bridge, recommending that the bridge remain closed to all traffic until further studies can be done on the 126-year-old span. |
TDOT Reports Released
TDOT inspections started on June 25. Reports from inspections show a critical finding was discovered on span 2 right side. Inspection continued but was stopped at span 2 left side until a load analysis was
performed. Permission was given to continue span 2 left side on July 1, 2024. Full inspection
was completed on July 2, 2024. |
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| JUNE 25, 2024 |
Gay Street Bridge Closed
A routine Tennessee Department of Transportation inspection of the Gay Street Bridge revealed a compromised element, which out of an abundance of caution has led to a complete closure of the bridge to vehicular and pedestrian traffic. |
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• Gay Street Bridge Report Summary - 06/26/24 [PDF]
• Gay Street Bridge Inspection Report - 06/26/24 [PDF] (108MB)
• Gay Street Bridge Inspection Report - 06/26/24 [PDF] (Compressed - 24MB)
People are still walking on the Gay St. Bridge. Is it open to pedestrians?
Answer: The Gay Street Bridge is closed to ALL activity until further notice. We are working to bolster our barricades to deter people who are ignoring the current signs and barriers.
Do you have a timeframe on how long the bridge will be closed?
We do not have a timeline, yet. However, we are urging people to plan for the bridge to be closed to motorized vehicles for at least 12-18 months. We hope to get engineering guidance that would enable us to re-open the bridge to pedestrians and bikers sooner.
Are we in the repair stage yet?
We are in the assessment stage and moving towards design. The City has been working on this daily since TDOT ordered the bridge closed to all users on June 25th. TDOT inspects the Gay Street Bridge annually and the bridge has been rated safe every year. This year a new inspector saw some warping that hadn’t been documented before, and that was the basis of the safety downgrade. City engineers have been assessing and surveying, and communicating with engineering firms that specialize in bridges. Now with Council’s approval of $800k, we will engage a firm to do more specialized assessments and design. Once that is done we will know the cost and scope of the repairs needed.
Is the bridge on the verge of a structural failure?
We do NOT think the bridge is on the verge of structural failure. We hope to find a way to open it to pedestrians and bikers on an interim basis as we work on longer term fixes. We can’t do that until we have an engineer advise us on how to do that safely.
Could the Gay Street Bridge be reserved for bikers and pedestrians long term?
This is something we are considering and would talk to community members about once we get some cost estimates. One concept would be to have Gay Street bridge open to bikers, pedestrians, and the only motorized vehicles allowed would be KAT Buses and first responders, similar to Andy Holt Avenue on UTK’s campus. This would not only provide dedicated space for non-motorized vehicles, it would extend the life of the bridge and facilitate faster response for emergencies.
1898
Built in 1898 and opening on July 4th, the 1,512-foot-long arched cantilever steel bridge is the oldest bridge spanning the Tennessee River in Knoxville.
According to the
Tennessee's Survey Report for Historic Highway Bridges, the building cost for the Gay Street Bridge reached $233,000. You can find more interesting facts about the bridge in
Chapter 6, pages 384-386 of the survey report.
A view of the Gay Street Bridge in 1910 (Calvin M. McClung Digital Collection)
Charles E. Fowler, with the Youngstown Bridge Co., designed the steel bridge. Knox County originally proposed a stone arch bridge but realized the cost would exceed their estimates.
A copy of the original Gay Street Bridge design by C.E. Fowler
2004
With funds through the Highway Bridge Replacement and Rehabilitation Program, TDOT, in cooperation with the City of Knoxville and the Federal Highway Administration, rehabilitated the Gay Street Bridge from 2001-2004. The improvement project cost $15.7 M.
The bridge
reopened in April of 2004.
From 2004 until now, the
bridge had passed each inspection, and no closures had been required due to safety maintenance.
2024
A routine Tennessee Department of Transportation inspection of the Gay Street Bridge on June 25, 2024, revealed a compromised element, which out of an abundance of caution has led to a complete closure of the bridge to vehicular and pedestrian traffic.
