Lynda Curtis hopes for divine intervention when it comes to the health of the Walnut Street Bridge.
“We are praying they don’t ever completely close the bridge again,” said Ms. Carter, who owns The Ice Cream Show at the south end of the span.
The bridge, which closed for repairs in December, was reopened Friday. Bikers and pedestrians wasted no time getting back onto the span, which now is wooden from one end to the other after asphalt on the northern end was replaced.
“It’s a jewel of the downtown landscape and we are just glad to have it reopened,” said Assistant City Engineer Dennis Malone.
Panoramic Photo: Walnut Street Bridge closing
The work even came in under budget and a month earlier than expected.
Mrs. Carter said her sales were hurt by the bridge’s closing, but she has no intention of moving.
“We love our location,” she said.
ABOUT THE BRIDGE
* Built in 1891
* After closing to traffic in 1978, the bridge sat in disrepair and there even was talk of demolishing it.
* On May 1, 1993, the bridge reopened after a five-year restoration effort.
* In 1993, city officials said the bridge was 2,376 feet long, the world’s longest pedestrian bridge.
Source: Times Free Press archives
FAST FACTS ABOUT THE REPAIR
* The total cost of the project was $1.3 million.
* 780 feet of timber was used to replace the asphalt on the bridge’s north viaduct.
* The width of the deck is about 20 feet.
* The sidewalks are roughly 6 feet wide on each side.
* The panels for the deck came from Mobile, Ala.
* The panels for the sidewalks came from Babb Lumber Co. in Ringgold, Ga.
* Tower Construction in Chattanooga was the contractor.
* The original opening day was May 15, but the contractor finished a month ahead of schedule.
* About $250,000 was left over from the original budget.
* The leftover money is being used to replace the sidewalk panels all across the bridge.
* The upstream half of the bridge will be close until June 9.
* The entire bridge will be opened on July 15.
Source: Dennis Malone, assistant city engineer
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