Chattanooga officials have received two bids for what they describe as a refresh of the city’s historic Walnut Street Bridge — one totaling about $51 million from Bell Construction in Nashville and the other for $34.6 million from Southern Road & Bridge in Florida.
The city unsealed the bids Thursday afternoon after posting an advertisement for the project May 26.
The downtown walking bridge remains safe to use, the city has said, but it has experienced wear and tear that workers cannot fix with occasional maintenance. That could pose safety concerns in the near future if unaddressed. The renovation would resolve those issues, upgrade lighting and fix electrical systems on the structure. Officials have said they expect construction will start in March 2025 and end in fall 2026.
Eric Booker, engineering manager in the city’s public works department, said staff will verify the totals unsealed Thursday to ensure the math is correct. Overall, the project will retain the bridge’s historic character, Booker said. The Tennessee Department of Transportation will review the selected bid, and the Chattanooga City Council will award the contract.
(READ MORE: Remember When, Chattanooga? The Walnut Street Bridge was saved from the wrecking ball)