I’ve talked about the Henley Street Bridge construction so many times on this site, that this little bit seemed worth mentioning on a Sunday afternoon:
John Schroer, Commissioner of the Tenn. Dept of Transportation (TDOT) plans a press conference on Monday morning, Feb. 4, at 11 AM at the south end of the bridge in the hospital parking lot. The expectation is that he will have announcements to make about the, probably revised, plans for the bridge.
Most recently I’ve written about the safety concerns addressed by striking employees Dwayne Sweat and Carlos Guzman. The commissioner has declined requests to meet with them regarding bridge safety. It’s doubtful he will address these concerns as the TDOT has indicated they are comfortable with the safety level on the bridge. Disagree? Then show up, if you can.
I’ve also written, long ago, about the opportunity to slow traffic and make Henley Street a boulevard leading to a bridge which is pedestrian friendly, rather than a raceway to Seymour. That plea, most eloquently supported by Jack Neely has also gone unheeded, so it’s doubtful that will be addressed. Want it to be? Then show up, if you can.
The more likely scenario for the meeting is the tiny issue of the supports for the bridge that weren’t as supportive as initially presented. It appears the original schedule might have to be scrapped and the pending June opening will come and go without a usable bridge. Some have questioned whether the entire project would not have been better served by starting from scratch. Want to ask that question? Then show up, if you can.