Project Details
Construction Project Information
Project Let to Construction: June 15, 2012
Contract was awarded to: Charles Blalock and Sons
Contract Estimated Costs: $69.3 million
Estimated Completion: May 31, 2015
The widening project includes the construction of three bridges. One is a concrete I‐beam bridge over the Norfolk Southern Railroad. The other two are welded steel girder bridges, one across the Tennessee River and one parallel to the existing bridge over the Tellico Canal.
The project also includes dismantling the existing J. Carmichael Greer Bridge over the dam without impeding the functions of the dam and the lock.
Purpose and Need
This project widens SR-73 (US-321) to a 4-lane highway from SR-2 (US-11) to east of the Tellico Canal. This section is the only section of US-321 that is not a 4-lane highway between I-40 and Maryville.
Early in the project development, TVA expressed a desire not to replace or widen the existing bridge on the dam. There are several reasons:
- The bridge hampers access by TVA to perform maintenance on the dam.
- Maintenance operations on the dam require stopping traffic across the bridge.
- TVA facilities can be separated from public access by constructing a new bridge over the river downstream from the dam.
If you want to comment on this project please use this email address: TDOT.Comments@tn.gov
