For Immediate Release:
February 23, 2006		   Print News Release
     

Summit Hill Bridge Implosion Closes James White Parkway

Knoxville, Tenn.—The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) will close James White Parkway, February 25-26, 2006 from 10 p.m. to 10 a.m. for the demolition of the Summit Hill Bridge. The actual blast will take place at 1 a.m. Sunday morning, weather permitting.

“We are imploding this bridge on a weekend out of consideration for the thousands of motorist’s who use James White Parkway daily”, said Ray Bell spokesperson Jeff Walker. “We will have 30 dump trucks on-site with crews working all night to clear the debris and reopen James White Parkway as quickly as possible. Our goal is to have it open by 10 a.m. Sunday morning.”

Parking lots and metered parking spots in the blast area, which include the Alright Parking lot and metered spots on Willow Avenue, will be closed all day Saturday and will remain closed until the demolition is complete as a safety precaution.

“Safety is our number one concern,” said TDOT Region One director Fred Corum. “We’re working with both the Knoxville Police and Knox County Sheriffs Departments, as well as Rural Metro and the Knoxville Fire Department to make sure that the blast area is secure and demolition and clean-up run smoothly.”

Media wishing to cover the demolition will need to check in with the law enforcement officer at the Main Street/State Street entrance ramp to James White Parkway. At that point, members of the media will then be escorted by the officer to the staging area. All media need to be at the staging area and set up by 12:30 a.m. to video tape the demolition.

Listed below are the closure locations and times and the demolition schedule.

Saturday, February 25, 2006

10 p.m.
  1. JWP off-ramp from Interstate 40 Eastbound closed.
  2. JWP off-ramp from Interstate 40 Westbound closed.
11 p.m.
  1. Main St. on-ramp to JWP Northbound closed.
  2. Hall of Fame Dr. on-ramp to JWP Northbound closed.
  3. JWP Northbound closed @ Hall of Fame Dr./JWP Southbound off-ramp closed.
  4. JWP Northbound @ Hill Ave. off-ramp [South Knoxville Bridge] closed.
  5. Riverside Dr. on-ramp to JWP Northbound closed.

10-12 p.m. Northbound and Southbound James White Parkway will be padded with 600 yards of mulch to protect it from debris.

Sunday, February 26, 2006

12:30 No more media permitted into staging area.
1 a.m. Summit Hill Bridge imploded.
10 a.m. James White Parkway reopened.