Netherland Inn Bridge Update 3/3/03


	The TDOT Bridge replacement project for the Netherland Inn Road bridge is in the design phase. TDOT originally developed plans that proposed to replace the bridge in the same footprint as the current bridge with the addition of approximately 20 25 of bridge width (noted in yellow shading). By choosing to maintain the existing alignment, significant private property (including one occupied home) would have had to be acquired for right-of-way purposes, traffic (12,000 vehicles/day) that rely on Netherland Inn Road to get in and out of downtown Kingsport would have had to be re-routed for an estimated 2-4 years (TDOT estimate), and the City would have had to design and construct a temporary sewer at an estimated cost of $500,000.

	Due to these prospective adverse impacts resulting from the original TDOT proposal, the City requested consideration of an alternative bridge alignment. After working with a local bridge engineering firm City staff developed an alternative alignment concept (pictured above in blue) that would allow the bridge to be replaced but would also eliminate the need to acquire row that would displace a family, reduce the need for traffic detouring, and avoid temporary sewer construction costs.

	The alternative alignment involves constructing the new bridge to the immediate south of the existing bridge. This option would allow traffic to continue unimpeded during the construction of the new bridge and the sewer could also remain in place and be transitioned over to the new bridge after it was constructed. This alignment would slightly alter the approaches at each end of the bridge (which would improve some of the traffic safety issues related to the side street entrances located at either end of the bridge) but it would also impact the parking area at Riverfront Park and small portions of the Rotherwood Mansion property (noted where blue shaded area overlaps orange property lines).

	The alternative alignment concept was accepted by TDOT and approved by the environmental and historical review agencies in May 2002 thereby allowing the preliminary design work to proceed to final design. TDOT anticipates having final design complete in the Spring 2003 with construction likely to begin in early 2004.