Motorists in Knoxville, take note: you'll need to adjust your travel plans as the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) implements closures on I-275 for bridge replacement work. According to WVLT, the sections near downtown Knoxville are set to close on two upcoming weekends from 7 p.m. Friday until 6 a.m. Monday. The first closure will impact travel from July 11 through July 14, and the second from July 18 through July 21. These closures are part of TDOT's extensive project to replace the bridge spanning Elm Street and Bernard Avenue.
Motorists are advised to route through I-40 and I-640 to detour around the construction, as told by the Knoxville Police Department, as stated in the same WVLT report. Seeking to minimize disruptions, TDOT is employing Accelerated Bridge Construction Techniques to hasten the replacement process. "ABC works safely and cost-effectively to reduce the onsite construction time that occurs when building new bridges or replacing and rehabilitating existing bridges," said a TDOT spokesperson, as per WATE. Travelers should remain alert to the significant traffic impact anticipated by these necessary disruptions.
Furthermore, the project, which is 90% federally funded and 10% state-funded, includes several enhancements such as restriping and increasing the vertical clearance of the bridge to 15 feet, 3 inches, for improved navigation. According to the TDOT website, mentioned in a WATE article, crews will replace the existing two-span bridge built in 1954 with a modern single-span concrete box bridge, enhancing both traffic flow and safety.
Equally important for the local community, the upgrade aims to improve the cross slopes on I-275 and the bike and pedestrian paths along Bernard Avenue, which has been closed between Marion Street and University Avenue since October 2024 due to the bridge replacement project. Knox News highlights the "significant impact on traffic" these closures represent, as per TDOT spokesperson Mark Nagi. Commuters who traverse this route often will undoubtedly feel the brunt of these temporary but necessary road closures, as the city progresses toward a safer, more efficient infrastructure.
