Caney Fork River Bridge

I loved this old bridge and was so sad to see TDOT tearing it down. And now the new bridge is closed due to faulty cement, from what I understand. They should have just "fixed" the old bridge - it was so beautiful!! The new bridge is so blasé with no character whatsoever. Thank you, Calvin Sneed, for sharing all the wonderful pictures.

I just couldn't let this grand ole gentleman disappear without paying homage to it.

Hats of to Calvin Sneed for getting some great photos of this one as it was being dismantled.

Updated information:

http://www.newschannel5.com/news/structural-damage-closes-sm...

Apparently some hairline cracks were found in the pier caps. TDOT is hoping to have the new bridge re-opened in 90 days.

Perhaps the state of Tennessee should not have been so quick to start demolition. The new bridge has been closed indefinitely due to a potential problem. This is a developing story, so I would expect more details to come out soon.

http://wkrn.com/2016/01/12/bridge-over-caney-fork-river-in-s...

As of a few months ago this bridge is closed and mostly completely demolished. The actual trusses are still there but about half or more of the road has been stripped off of it and there's absolutely no access, not even on foot, unless you can jump 300+ feet from the barricades.

Interesting article about the demolition of this bridge:

https://www.tntech.edu/news/releases/ttu-civil-engineering-t...

Apparently the bridge will be/was used to study the behaviour of truss bridges as they are taken apart.

I drove over this bridge today. It is still open, but the new one is going up quickly. Visit ASAP if you want to see it.

You are right. I could not see those pylons from the bridge deck. I am surprised this replacement job as gotten almost no media coverage - at least not that I can find.

Robert,

I assume the bridge is still standing. I would assume at least the local newspaper would report the bridge's demolition. However, they were further along than you think when the Street View was taken. Go into the Street view and position the camera down by the Poseiden crates, and look back. You can see at least three concrete piers in place.

Thanks, Nathan. That makes more sense. I did not notice the part about the contract being re-let. I am going to be in the area later this year, so I will try to visit this one - if it still exists. The streetview appears to be from August of 2013, and work had just barely begun. They had not even finished clearing the trees.

Robert,

I assume the completion date was adjusted when they withdrew the first letting and went with the September letting instead. However, I was not able to find what that updated date might be.

I am trying to figure out the significance of the completion date of 15 September 2013. If the bids were not even let until the fall of 2012, I doubt a bridge of this size could be replaced by then.

TDOT apparently does not wish to let the public know it is replacing this historic bridge that could easily be rehabilitated. I could find no "public" notice of this project. However sifting through the contract data reveals the truth.

The bridge was advertised in 2012:

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS MARCH 23, 2012 LETTING SMITH COUNTY (Contract No. CNL012) Call No. 059 Project No. BR-STP-24(19), 80002-3248-94. The construction of a concrete Bulb-Tee beam bridge on U.S. 70N (S.R. 24) over the Caney Fork River (L.M. 13.38), including grading, drainage, and paving. Project Length - 0.639 mile. Completion Time - On or before September 15, 2013

The first letting was withdrawn, and finally let in September. This may have changed the completion time.

Contract Awards for Letting of September 14, 2012

CONCRETE BULB-TEE BEAM BRIDGE ON US-70N OVER CANEY FORK RVR (LM 13.38). Award: CONCRETE STRUCTURES, INC. $5,784,162.73

https://www.bidx.com/tn/proposal?contid=CNL012

Looks to be some construction happening on the south side of this bridge. I could not find anything online about replacement.