Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) contract crews will be closing a portion of I-240 and Park Avenue the next few weekends to complete the replacement of the Norfolk Southern Railroad Bridge over I-240, according to Nichole Lawrence, community relations officer for Regions 4, TDOT.
Crews are using bridge slide technology to perform the state’s first bridge slide.
The FULL CLOSURES are as follows:
- Friday (2.1.19) – 9 p.m. until Monday (2.4.19) – 6 a.m.
- Friday Feb. 8 – 9 p.m. until Monday, Feb. 11 – 6 a.m.
- Friday Feb. 15 – 9 p.m. until Monday Feb. 18 – 6 a.m.
I-240 will be closed between I-40 and SR 385. Park Avenue will be closed at the bridge. Poplar Avenue east and westbound bridges will be OPEN to cross I-240, but the ramps associated with I-240 will be CLOSED.
***ALL WORK IS WEATHER DEPENDENT***
During the closures, all interstate traffic will be detoured around the north I-40 loop and the south I-240 loop. Walnut Grove will be open, but access to I-240 will be prohibited. Message boards will alert motorists to the closures and alternate routes. Drivers are advised to plan ahead.
The project is part of a $54.1 million project to rehabilitate and repair four bridges built in 1968. Work will begin at the Norfolk Southern Railroad Bridge. The Poplar Avenue eastbound, westbound and Park Avenue bridges will be done in subsequent closures. Using expedited construction, the project will require a total closure of this stretch of I-240 up to 12 weekends from now through June 2019. All scheduled closures are tentative, dependent on weather and project progress.
In the summer of 2018, a new railroad bridge was constructed on temporary foundations beside the old structure to allow a continuation of rail movement. Once the new temporary bridge was operational, the old structure was removed in order for the new foundation to be constructed.
“We are using bridge slide technology, which greatly reduces the time a bridge is out of service. For this heavily utilized railroad bridge, this method of construction was chosen to reduce rail and traffic disruptions and impacts,” said Ms. Lawrence.
Both push and pull methods will be used over two weekends to slide the two tracks of the bridge into its permanent location. During the first weekend of February, the pull method will be used to move the first track.
To prepare for the slide, 30 – 100 ton jacks will be used to raise the 342 feet, 2 million pound bridge 3 3/8”. The 5-span bridge will then be lowered onto the required equipment for the actual sliding process. From this point, 10 – 100 ton push/pull jacks will used to pull the 2 million pound track bridge 35 feet 3 inches onto its permanent foundation. The push method will be used to move the second track into place during the following weekend using the same methods.
Demolition of the temporary foundations will occur on the third weekend of February.
The prime contractor’s sub-contractors will be on site during these closures performing miscellaneous work.
For more information on the MemFix 4 project including a video explaining the ABC process, visit the project information page at: www.tn.gov/tdot/memfix4. You can also sign up for email updates.
From your desktop or mobile device, get the latest construction activity and live streaming SmartWay traffic cameras at www.TNSmartWay.com/Traffic. Travelers can also dial 511 from any land-line or cellular phone for travel information, or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/TN511 for statewide travel or for West Tennessee follow https://twitter.com/NicLawrenceTDOT
