A multimillion-dollar increase in the price tag of Walnut Street Bridge repairs will be fully covered by federal grant dollars, according to city of Chattanooga officials.
The renovation work for the popular pedestrian bridge over the Tennessee River was scheduled to wrap up by late September and cost $35 million. The cost is now 33% higher, at $52 million, after the City Council unanimously approved a contract increase Tuesday night.
The most recent request for more money will be covered by federal grant dollars now allocated to the project by the Tennessee Department of Transportation, according to Ellis Smith, the city’s director of intergovernmental affairs. Mayor Tim Kelly said in a press release that there will be no need for additional city funds to complete the work.
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The majority of the contract increases have been needed for the replacement of damaged steel beams making up the bridge, as more and more rust and corrosion has been discovered, Smith said.
One out of every four load-bearing steel beams had to be replaced, according to the press release, and most of the bridge’s main structural support systems had to be repaired.
“Steel is expensive right now,” Smith said in an interview. “Inflation hasn’t helped. Tariffs don’t help. Oil prices being up doesn’t help.”
It’s not the first time more money has been needed during the course of the work. A $6 million increase across a couple of the repair contracts was approved by the City Council in September. The money came from the project’s contingency dollars, so it was already set aside and didn’t require the city to dip into other coffers — leaving $860,000 left in the fund.
(READ MORE: ‘A people magnet’: Chattanoogans react to the 18-month closure of Walnut Street Bridge)
The city knew there could be unexpected discoveries of extensive damage in places where engineers and construction workers haven’t been able to access before, Smith said.
Then a request for about a $10 million increase was brought before the council in early May. Council members initially said they were concerned about the impacts of an increase, but once they confirmed all the money would be covered by grant dollars and would not have to be pulled out of the city’s budget, none had any other comment on it before voting Tuesday evening.
The contractors that have requested increases are Florida-based Southern Bridge and Road and Chattanooga-based Volkert and Associates. The contractors have received about $14 million and $2 million extra, respectively.
“In spite of the 94 tons of rusted steel beams we had to rip out and replace, I’m proud to report that the Walnut Street Bridge repair is on time and will not require additional city funds to complete,” Kelly said in the press release.
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Contact city and county reporter Siena Duncan at sduncan@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6354.