Drivers honked their horns and cheered Monday as they drove on Wilcox Boulevard through the most recently renovated tunnel in Chattanooga.
The Wilcox Tunnel opened around 2 p.m. Monday after a $2 million renovation that left the tube brighter, safer and with less water leakage.
"It's got incredible lighting," said Mayor Andy Berke, standing outside the tunnel. "We've sealed the top, and today we're opening it back up for traffic to make sure that these two neighborhoods [East Chattanooga and Eastdale] are connected."
Vehicles travel Monday, April 4, 2016 through the Wilcox Tunnel. The tunnel was recently reopened to traffic after renovations.The tunnel, which carried some 16,000 people a day, closed Aug. 17, 2015, with the city planning to complete renovations and have it open again at the end of February. The city later extended its deadline to April 11 but opened the tunnel a week early.
There wasn't much organized fanfare, but several drivers honked while passing Berke during his news conference. Some yelled, "Thank you, Jesus."
Community leader Tommye Montgomery pulled her car over to join the news conference and celebrate.
"I was just so happy I could hardly move," she said.
The open tunnel means that, instead of driving for blocks to Brainerd Road, "now we can almost just step right through here," Montgomery said.
The tunnel is open to pedestrians, but more work needs to be done before it's accessible to emergency vehicles, City Councilman Yusuf Hakeem said.
Hakeem, Berke and Councilman Russell Gilbert stood shoulder to shoulder as Berke spoke about the tunnel.
Hakeem, who represents District 9 on the council, led district meetings for years that included conversations about improving the tunnel. Berke went door to door surveying people about what they wanted, and Gilbert, who represents District 5, said his constituents are grateful.
"Anybody who drove through the tunnel understood there was a huge problem with darkness," Berke said. "There were tons of water where even on a nice day like today you have tons of water going through the tunnel."
Stopping water leaks caused the delay in the work and was one of the biggest challenges, he said.
Water still dripped on a car that passed through on Monday, but city officials said any drips could come from the tunnel being pressure washed, and if any leaks still exist they will be addressed.
The city put in a new liner to alleviate water issues. It also amended its agreement with contractor Harman Walsh Industrial Services to include a foam sealant.
Hakeem said the repairs make him feel like Christmas came in April. He rated the tunnel an "F" before the renovation but now gives it a "B."
During the renovation, several residents and business owners in East Chattanooga, Eastdale and North Brainerd questioned if the tunnel had been allowed to deteriorate because it connected lower-income, inner-city communities.
City officials continuously sought federal funding through the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery grant, but failed. Then Mayor Berke allocated $2 million in capital funds from taxpayer money to get at least some renovation work done to address the safety of the tunnel.
"The wait was long," said Demetrus Coonrod. "People became hopeless businesses were suffering. So now today to see it happen and it looks great."
Additional upgrades will continue throughout the year, city officials said.
Although the tunnel entries have been paved, the inner roadway is concrete and therefore cannot be paved. The Chattanooga Department of Transportation will routinely analyze the condition of the inner roadway and meet with neighborhood leaders if repairs are needed, officials said.
An Art in Neighborhoods project will be scheduled during a regular maintenance closure of the tunnel, and landscaping outside the tunnel will be done this fall.
After hearing from business and community leaders, the City of Chattanooga created the new Construction Mitigation Program in March to assist local merchants impacted by long-term construction projects. Since the program's launch, business owners have been able to seek assistance in the form of small business grants, paid advertising, signage, parking and enhanced communication through a website and hotline.
About 20 businesses have sought assistance.
Neighborhood Services will be scheduling community meetings in the coming weeks to go over next steps and follow up on the Construction Mitigation Program. In addition, the city plans to work with the connecting neighborhoods and businesses for a community celebration in the coming weeks.
Contact staff writer Yolanda Putman at yputman@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6431.