Broad Street bridge project two weeks behind schedule on The Murfreesboro Post

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Broad Street bridge project two weeks behind schedule

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By: MICHELLE WILLARD, Post Staff Writer

Posted: Saturday, May 16, 2009 7:28 am

The nightmare on Broad Street, otherwise known as a TDOT bridge replacement project, is running two weeks behind schedule, a city official said.

City Traffic Engineer Ram Balachandran said Murfreesboro government is working with the Tennessee Department of Transportation to hurry the project along and finish before Uncle Dave Macon Days in July. The project was slated to be completed in June.

“The city, and state, is making every effort to work around the clock befor granting an extension,” Balachandran said.

And he literally means around the clock. The city is pressuring TDOT to put two crews on the project, who will work 24 hours a day until the project is completed.

Balachandran said the project is running behind because of recent weather challenges and the bridge was in worse shape an initially feared.

“They had to replace the full deck,” Balachandran said. “They found a lot of surprises because of the age of the bridge and the deterioration of the bridge.”

If worse comes to worst, TDOT will suspend work during Uncle Dave Macon Days, which takes place annually at Cannonsburgh Village on Front Street, and the city will open up the road.

Traffic is still shifted to the east side (the Dodge’s Store side) of Northwest Broad Street.

Two lanes will be available in both directions and a center turning lane between Memorial Boulevard and Vine Street as part of a TDOT bridge replacement project.

Protected left turns will be permitted again at Main Street, but avoid the area if possible.

Message boards are placed around town to direct motorists around the construction. There are no detour routes.

Balachandran also said work on River Rock Boulevard will begin again in the next week.

Work on the project was suspended so the contracting company could make repairs to roads, curbs and gutters that were damaged by the Good Friday Tornado.

Over the next two weeks, the road will being paved and striped. The new signal will also be turned on, he said.

The following road projects will affect traffic in Murfreesboro during the week beginning May 18:

Road conditions are shown every hour on Channel 3.

Murfreesboro’s Street Department has started its annual paving campaign. The following projects will be completed this week:

- Murfreesboro Water and Sewer Department (MWSD) continues with reconstruction of a sewer main under Vine Street s.

Through traffic, traveling for the east and west will be detoured to Main and Sevier streets. Local residents will have access to homes at all times.

- The Streets Department will mill and repave Clark Boulevard from Leaf Avenue to Highland Avenue beginning Tuesday. The traffic department will recut signal loops Thursday and Friday. Repaving will take place Tuesday of next week, weather permitting.

- The Rutherford Boulevard expansion project has been delayed recently because of weather, but should resume this week. Crews will perform the final paving and striping from the CSX bridge to Broad Street.

Tagged under Broad Street, River Rock, Rutherford Blvd., Traffic

Member Opinions:

By: Trvlace on 5/16/09
The rain is killing our construction projects. And our weekend fun!

By: sschroeder on 5/16/09
What about the penalty clause in the contract? It would be nice if the Post would report on the contract.

By: keepingtabs on 5/16/09
On projects such as these they should be required to work 24/7 until they are completed.

Yeah, yeah, I know, cost prohibitive. But maybe it would stop some of the dilly dallying that goes on.

By: aljo on 5/17/09
Did I read this correctly? They are going to start milling Clark Blvd during the TSSAA Spring Fling this week when thousands of visitors will be trying to get to MTSU? Surely you're joking.

By: justdance on 5/19/09

I can only imagine the "surprises" they found once they really got into the repairing of the bridge.

I'm sure the public doesn't want to know the details behind THAT statement.