Drivers who use Wilson Road to travel between Walker County and Chattanooga will need to follow a detour beginning Thursday, June 4, after officials announced the temporary closure of the Wilson Road Bridge over Chattanooga Creek.
The City of Chattanooga Department of Public Works said a recent state inspection found structural deficiencies in the 64-year-old bridge, which connects Georgia and Tennessee. To remain in compliance with Tennessee Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration safety regulations, the bridge will be fully closed to all traffic until repairs are completed and approved through a future inspection.
Chattanooga Public Works crews will install warning signs and barricades ahead of the closure. The city is also coordinating traffic control plans with the Walker County Department of Public Works.
Officials said the bridge, which was built in 1962, is one of many aging structures in the Chattanooga area that span rivers, creeks, railroads, valleys and interstate corridors. The total cost of repairs has not yet been determined.
City staff are working to identify the scope of the needed repairs, secure funding and develop a project plan to restore the bridge and reopen it to traffic.
Recommended northbound detours from Georgia into Tennessee will direct drivers onto Glentana Street, Maple Street, Williams Street and Hooker Road.
Southbound traffic leaving Tennessee will be routed along Workman Road, Rossville Boulevard, McFarland Avenue, Maple Street and Glentana Street.
Motorists are being urged to follow all posted detour signs and allow extra travel time during the closure.
