Navigation under Wilbur Dam Road Bridge will be restricted starting this week
Published 4:17 pm Friday, July 25, 2025
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Waterborne navigation under the Wilbur Dam Road Bridge, which crosses Wilbur Reservoir near Elizabethton in Carter County, will be restricted beginning this week and lasting through completion of the ongoing bridge replacement project.
TVA is installing a turbidity curtain near the bridge across Wilbur Reservoir from north to south in preparation for work activities in the reservoir. Crews will begin installation of a bulkhead and causeway in the water this week. Most waterborne traffic that passes beneath the bridge is recreational (anglers) and small personal watercraft.
The purpose of the bridge replacement project, slated for completion in 2027, is to improve the safety and reliability of the bridge carrying Wilbur Dam Road over Wilbur Reservoir. The existing bridge provides the only vehicular access to TVA’s nearby Watauga Dam, its associated recreation facilities and a small number of neighboring residences.
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This investment in a new Wilbur Dam Road bridge will ensure safe and reliable access for recreation around the Watauga Dam area for many years to come, supporting the local economy through ongoing recreation visitors. The new bridge’s modern construction will also help safely support the large-scale equipment necessary for hydro-maintenance projects at the clean-energy-producing dam.
To minimize impact to nearby residents and the public, TVA’s construction plan calls for completing the new bridge adjacent to the old structure, followed by closure and demolition of the existing bridge. Earlier this month, traffic across the bridge was reduced to a single lane. Temporary traffic signals are in place at both ends of the bridge, allowing for safe alternating bridge crossings from each end.
Construction on the new bridge began in May. The purpose of the project is to improve the safety and reliability of the bridge carrying Wilbur Dam Road over Wilbur Reservoir. The existing bridge provides the only vehicular access to TVA’s nearby Watauga Dam, its associated recreation facilities and a small number of neighboring residences.
The existing bridge was assembled in 1942 from a repurposed railroad bridge dating to the 1890s. It is “load posted,” meaning it cannot handle normal highway loads and is required to be inspected annually.