In the wake of the destruction left by Hurricane Helene last September, the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) has diligently responded, awarding contracts for expedient reconstruction of three critical East Tennessee bridges. Ensuring a return to normalcy for Greene and Washington County residents, the TDOT confirmed two Alternative Delivery contracts focusing on bridges essential for local connectivity.
To repair the SR-81 bridge in Washington County and the SR-107 bridge in Greene County, TDOT settled on a Progressive Design-Build (PDB) contract with Kiewit Infrastructure South Co., which cost $56,546,444.33. This Brentwood-based company has committed to an accelerated construction schedule, with completion expected before the end of June, as noted in an announcement from the Tennessee Department of Transportation.
Further efforts to bridge the gaps created by the hurricane include awarding a Design-Build (DB) contract for the SR-353 bridge in Washington County to Summers-Taylor, Inc., a Johnson City, Tennessee firm. For $20,970,200.00, this project, too, is urgent, targeting a reopening before the close of May 2026.
Leveraging the Transportation Modernization Act (TMA) made TDOT's commitment to these essential infrastructural developments possible. TDOT's strategy of using Progressive Design-Build and Design-Build contract models is deliberate. It aims to use overlapping design and construction phases to slash through the red tape and hasten the path to project completion.
Federal funding of $510 million will provide the financial backbone for reconstructing what Hurricane Helene swept away, with TDOT already receiving $102 million.
