The Church Avenue viaduct in downtown Knoxville will be closed to heavy truck traffic beginning this week to prevent further deterioration to the bridge, which is scheduled to be replaced.
Signs will be posted Friday advising that trucks weighing more than 18 tons with three or more axles or 10 tons with two axles should not use the viaduct. Suggested alternate routes are Summit Hill Drive to the north and Hill Avenue to the south. The weight limits are designed to prevent continued deterioration that would require temporary repairs before the bridge is demolished and replaced in 2006 in conjunction with the Tennessee Department of Transportation's SmartFIX40 project, which will make improvements to Interstate 40 downtown.