Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

The Tennessee Department of Transportation announced this week that the opening of the Broad Street Bridge had been adjusted from the end of May to early July.

Work continues on the bridge, which was heavily damaged by Hurricane Helene in September 2024. A news release from TDOT said, “East Tennessee is unique in its geological features, which can cause the modification of road and bridge construction times. In recent weeks, a geotechnical investigation discovered that installing micro-piles would be more complicated than initially expected due to the complexity of the cobble rock underneath the bridge, which is up to 18 feet in depth.”

State officials said the discovery of the rock also complicates the diversion and dewatering process laid out in the contractor’s plan.

The announcement from TDOT said the department is dedicated to preserving the Broad Street Bridge, which was built in 1929. TDOT officials said in the few few months, the contractor will perform the following activities:
– Divert the water around the footers
– Dewater the area around the footers
– Drill micro-piles through the 18 feet of cobble rock and into solid rock
– Jack the bridge
– Pour new footers following stabilization

Motorists to downtown Elizabethton are advised to use extreme caution in this area, as workers will be present.

In September 2024, Hurricane Helene devastated interstates and state routes in East Tennessee, including Elizabethton. Of the 49 sections of state/local routes initially closed due to the damage caused by Hurricane Helene, 44 of those have now been reopened.

Because of the closure of the Broad Street Bridge, much of the traffic that traveled Broad Street has been diverted through the downtown, causing traffic congestion. Although the speed limit on Elk Avenue is 20 mph, traffic through the downtown goes much faster, and has become dangerous to visitors downtown.

Also, because of the increased traffic, many events have had to be postponed. The annual downtown car show has had to be moved from Elk Avenue. Also, last December’s Elizabethton Christmas Parade was moved from Elk Avenue to West G Street, and the Fraser Fir Christmas Lighting was moved to the Covered Bridge Park.

Downtown merchants were informed at a merchants meeting this week that the annual Fourth of July celebration would be relocated if the bridge construction was not finished by July 3. However, Courtney Bean with Main Street Elizabethton told merchants that Main Street had planned to go on as planned.

Bean encouraged visitors to the downtown to utilize the public parking spaces across the downtown to avoid parking issues caused by parking on the street. She also encouraged the use of signaled crosswalks as a means of safety.