TDOT awards contract for bridge repairs along Nolichucky, targets August 2025 completion

WASHINGTON COUNTY, Tenn. (WJHL) — The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) has awarded a first-of-its-kind in Tennessee contract to speed up the rebuilding of two bridges along the Nolichucky River that were destroyed in a 1,000-year storm.

On Friday, TDOT announced it awarded the state’s inaugural Progressive Design-Build (PDB) contract. The project will focus on rebuilding the SR-107 bridge in Greene County and the SR-81 bridge in Washington County.

A section of Interstate 26 in Unicoi County reopened Thursday to local traffic only.

TDOT has set a target date in June 2025 for the bridges to reopen to traffic.

In a news release, TDOT stated the PDB approach was made possible by the state’s Transportation Modernization Act.

“We passed the Transportation Modernization Act in partnership with the General Assembly to ensure TDOT could effectively meet Tennessee’s transportation needs without new taxes or debt,” Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee stated in the release. “I’m proud that we have the resources available to swiftly respond to the urgent needs of communities severely impacted by Hurricane Helene.”

The two bridges are major connecting points between Greeneville, Jonesborough and Erwin.

According to TDOT, the PDB will allow for reconstruction activities and projects to overlap and will expedite the process so travel can improve as quickly as possible.

“This has been a challenging time for many, with entire communities cut off from essential resources,” Deputy Governor and TDOT Commissioner Butch Eley said. “We are working diligently to keep them connected and are thankful for the authority to utilize this alternative method to accelerate recovery efforts. TDOT is committed to helping citizens return to normalcy as quickly as possible following the devastation caused by the hurricane.”

TDOT provided the following timeline for the project in its news release:

• Contractors were invited to propose on September 30, 2024, at 2 p.m., within 72 hours of Helene’s impact. Kiewit Infrastructure South Co. was awarded the contract on October 2, 2024.
• Survey and Design are actively underway, and additional safety measures are being installed. Preparation to mobilize for early project site cleanup and removal of remaining bridge pieces within Right-of-Way (ROW) is also underway.
• Construction is expected to begin in January 2025, and the current target to reopen both bridges to traffic is June 23, 2025.
• Planned final project completion is scheduled for August 2025.

TDOT reports transportation leaders in Florida used the PDB approach to rebuild a major causeway destroyed by Hurricane Ian in 2022.

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