The Goshen Valley Volunteer fire Department issued a report Tuesday stating it will no longer cross the Goshen Valley Bridge due to all departmental fire vehicles exceeding the 10-ton weight limit.
The 60-year-old bridge, which spans the Holston River just south of Church Hill, is the Goshen Valley community’s most direct connection to Highway 11W.
The GVVFD’s decision to no longer cross the bridge with its heavy equipment was in response to a recent Tennessee Department of Transportation appraisal of the bridge which lowered the weight limit to 10 tons, gave the bridge a sufficiency rating of 6 out of 100; and recommended the bridge be replaced at an estimated cost of $14.3 million.
Hawkins County Highway Superintendent Danny Jones told county commissioners earlier this month that the bridge is “beyond repair”.
The County Commission’s Road Committee agreed earlier this month to look for ways to keep heavy vehicles, mainly tractor-trailers off the bridge while funding is sought to replace the bridge.
The GVVFD’s decision not to cross the bridge with equipment will reduce the department’s ability to assist other nearby fire and rescue agencies during emergencies.
Impacts to Emergency Services
GVVFD’s response times to fires and emergencies north of the bridge will increase.
Mutual aid response times will increase, both in and out of Goshen Valley’s Fire Service area.
New response routes will need to be established for inbound and outbound UNITS in the GVVFD territory.
Negative impact on GVVFD support to Hawkins EMS calls for assistance.
GVVFD’s Board of Directors, Officers and members met March 18 and agreed to initiate the following internal actions immediately:
Restrict all GVVFD vehicles exceeding the 10 ton weight limit from using the bridge.
Notify GVVFD Automatic and Mutual aid partners, recommend not to use the bridge.
Notify Hawkins County Emergency Communications District.
Notify County officials and municipal mayors
Develop pre-plans for response to incidents on the bridge
Develop specific pre-plan for bridge collapse.
Conduct Community Meeting and social media posts to inform GVVFD residents of service impact.
Install fuel tank at Fire Station #1 for refueling trucks.
Contact the First Utility Water District and request they fill the water storage tank on the south side of the river.
Re-Identify and test water source drafting and refill locations in the GVVFD Fire District.
Develop specific dispatch tanker support, (Tanker Task Forces) for alarms within GVVFD territory.
GVVFD recommends the following actions for State and County government agencies:
TDOT immediately install warning signs with flashing lights on 11W and roads leading to Goshen Valley from I-81 at Baileyton to alert drivers of the weight limited bridge on Goshen Valley Road.
TDOT immediately install warning signs with flashing lights of the weight limited bridge on Goshen Valley Road at least a quarter mile from both approaches to the bridge.
TDOT immediately install traffic control devices on Goshen Valley Road reducing traffic across the bridge to one lane, reducing traffic and stress on the bridge.
THP and Hawkins County Sheriff step up patrols on Goshen Valley Road to ticket violators of the 10 ton limit.
Hawkins County School District address the impact bridge weight limit restrictions have on school bus routes.
Hawkins County Mayor in concert with Governor Lee contact Senators Blackburn and Hagerty and Congresswoman Harshbarger for federal funds to build a replacement bridge.
Hawkins County Mayor and County Commission initiate action to fund and build a replacement bridge.
Local News
