Gay street bridge

The Gay Street Bridge is a pedestrian bridge that crosses the Tennessee River in Knoxville, Tennessee, United States. Completed in , the 1,foot ( m) bridge [1] is the oldest of four vehicle bridges connecting Downtown Knoxville with South Knoxville, the other three being the Henley Bridge, the James E.

"Buck" Karnes Bridge (Alcoa. After months of uncertainty following the sudden shutdown of downtown Knoxville's historic Gay Street Bridge last summer, drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians finally have an answer: The bridge. After the Union Army took over the city from Confederate forces in during the Civil War, a Confederate-built pontoon bridge was moved from Loudon to Knoxville to strengthen communications and supplies across the river.

A routine Tennessee Department of Transportation inspection of the Gay Street Bridge today revealed a compromised element, which out of an abundance of caution has led to a complete closure of the bridge to vehicular and pedestrian traffic. The City of Knoxville and Tennessee Department of Transportation announced Tuesday the Gay Street Bridge would be closed indefinitely after a routine inspection revealed a "compromised.

After months of uncertainty following the sudden shutdown of downtown Knoxville's historic Gay Street Bridge last summer, drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians finally have an answer: The bridge will be closed forever to regular drivers. Mayor Indya Kincannon announced Feb. The bridge supported about 7, vehicles a day when it was open. With the Gay Street Bridge out of commission, car and bike traffic has increased on the Henley Street Bridge that crosses the river several blocks west.

Crews installed hard plastic delineators and green bike lane markings on the Henley Bridge to separate cars from bikes. The Gay Street Bridge has been closed to cars and pedestrians since June That's when Tennessee Department of Transportation crews found a distorted steel piece that could have caused part of the bridge to buckle. We don't know what could have happened if the bridge stayed open.

City engineers couldn't say what caused so much damage so quickly because the bridge passed previous annual inspections. The Gay Street Bridge is a 1,foot-long arched cantilever steel bridge. It's the oldest bridge spanning the Tennessee River in Knoxville. Engineers will work to make sure the bridge is safe for pedestrians, bikers and some emergency vehicles.

But it won't open to regular traffic. Kincannon said the city will be ready to make necessary fixes for pedestrians starting in March after the Knoxville City Council approves money for repairs. Allowing emergency vehicles, Knoxville Area Transit buses and pedestrians is a temporary fix. The end goal is to permanently close the bridge for all uses if a new bridge is built.

knoxville bridge

The South Waterfront Pedestrian Bridge project will be paid for with state and federal grants, plus other sources. A grant from the U. It has been discussed for years to expand the reach of the landlocked University of Tennessee at Knoxville. City officials said the bridge would pay for itself with increased property tax revenues from new developments.

Allie Feinberg Knoxville News Sentinel. Show Caption. Hide Caption. Gay Street Bridge won't reopen to vehicle traffic. Facebook Twitter Email. Share your feedback to help improve our site!