For the first time in over a year, motorists in that area headed to work and school are doing so today on the newly renovated Birds Bridge.
The Greene County Highway Department removed the concrete barriers at either end of the bridge and the bridge officially opened at 8:30 am Tuesday, just a little over a year after flood waters and debris forced the closing.
Repair work on the bridge initially began in April. A TDOT inspection in July found problems underneath the bridge inspectors could not see just after the flooding due to debris. It was determined that 27 of the 48 intermediate diaphragms beneath the bridge were damaged by the debris. Of those, 15 were repaired in place, while 12 require additional fabrication off-site in Chattanooga.
Assistant Road Superintendent Gary Rector credits Summers-Taylor with a job well done.
GARY RECTOR
After getting approval from TDOT late Monday, the bridge was reopened Tuesday morning to accommodate the over 1,000 cars which pass over it daily.
While the department continues road repair work county wide, Easterly Bridge awaits on Poplar Springs Road.
GARY RECTOR
