The city of Chattanooga is planning with the state, Norfolk Southern Railway and Hamilton County to replace the 72-year-old Wilcox Boulevard bridge from Amnicola Highway over Norfolk Southern’s DeButts Yard to the Avondale neighborhood in East Chattanooga.
They entities are teaming up on the estimated $54 million project with local and other matching money to combine with $28 million in stakeholder funding and $25 million from the federal Department of Transportation’s Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability & Equity grant. The new bridge will support restoration of vital neighborhood connections and a commercial transportation artery.
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The good news is the new bridge will be constructed alongside the current deteriorating structure, so traffic will continue to flow during construction. The bad news is drivers will still have to bounce and bang their way over the DeButts Yard on the old bridge until the new one is finished.
The new bridge will be constructed immediately south of the existing one, allowing the current bridge to stay open with weight restrictions while the new one is built. Wilcox Boulevard will curve slightly south in each direction to match the approaches on the new bridge’s alignment.
OLD BRIDGE
Tennessee’s National Bridge Inventory Report lists the existing Wilcox Boulevard spans, each almost 820 feet long, as an off-system bridge, one side finished in 1954 and the other completed in 1958. Both sides are constructed of multiple cast-in-place concrete spans rated in poor condition, and the deck geometry on both sides is rated as critical, meaning it must be monitored for further deterioration of the bridge’s structural elements.
The Tennessee Department of Transportation defines off-system bridges as spans that are owned, operated and maintained by local governments.
The Wilcox Boulevard bridge was closed to semitruck and city bus traffic in 2021 after weight limits were applied to prevent further damage. The Chattanooga Fire Department can’t send a fully loaded fire truck across the span because of its condition. The city received the $25 million Rebuilding American grant for the project in 2022 and is contributing matching funds totaling almost $13 million.
Chattanooga officials said the improvements have been needed for decades and more project details are coming.
“The bridge’s importance was recognized in the 1950s and is equally acknowledged today, which is why we continue to work collaboratively with multiple organizations, including Norfolk Southern, Hamilton County and the Tennessee Department of Transportation, to fix the bridge,” city spokesperson Stephanie Cepak said via email. “The city and our partners recently submitted a new memorandum of understanding regarding the Wilcox Boulevard Bridge Replacement Project, and we’re hoping to share more information about that in the weeks ahead.”
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The Tennessee Department of Transportation is responsible for advancing the project timeline, Cepak said.
Officials from the agency did not respond to inquiries about project planning sent by email and acknowledged at 1 p.m. Thursday.
Norfolk Southern sees Chattanooga as an key part of its regional footprint, and financial contributions to the project by the company represent its commitment, it said in a statement. The project will improve safety, strengthen mobility and better connect Chattanooga communities for decades to come, it said.
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“Chattanooga is an important location on our rail network, and this project, backed by significant support from Norfolk Southern, reflects our broader commitment to working with public partners to deliver smart infrastructure solutions that benefit our communities while also protecting critical freight connections,” Norfolk Southern said Friday in an emailed statement.
NEW BRIDGE
The new four-lane bridge will be built for modern weight capacity and restore access for CARTA buses, fire trucks and heavy freight trucks, which have been banned or restricted for years. The CARTA agency’s offices are just down the road at 1617 Wilcox Blvd. The bridge will be Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant and include a 12.5-foot shared-use bike and pedestrian path, which will ultimately provide access to the Tennessee Riverwalk via a new connection to be developed by the city in the future.
When completed, according to city officials, the new bridge will expand equitable access to jobs, parks, trails, essential public services and improve overall mobility for the communities it connects.
Contact Southeast Tennessee reporter Ben Benton at bbenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6569.