TDOT Called Cracked Bridge Deck Panel ‘An Emergency Situation’

CHATTANOOGA, TN (WDEF) – Jennifer Flynn with the Tennessee Department of Transportation, says, "

We do consider this an emergency situation."

Those are not exactly the words you want to hear when the Tennessee Department of Transportation looks at the bridge on Interstate 24 near the 27 split.

Flynn adds, "It looked like it could fail."

Flynn is talking about one of the bridge deck panels.

Hamilton County road crews noticed a crack in it this weekend while patching up pot holes on I-24.

Flynn adds, "It’s too big a job for them to handle. They can do a lot of things, but with this one they thought, well, we don’t think we can do this."

So, now TDOT is calling in a contractor to make permanent repairs.

It could take a week before they’re finished.

Meanwhile, workers put a plate over the crack and re-opened the area.

Flynn adds, "Well, you know, a lot of it is just it’s an older bridge. Its got some age on it and it just takes a pounding from the constant flow of traffic. It’s such a high traffic volume on our interstate system."

Flynn doesn’t blame the recent winter weather, but did say this is the only bridge left in the area that still has a pre-stressed panel, meaning it was previously made, then put in place.

TDOT also says there’s work being done on the Shepard Road Bridge.

They plan on opening two lanes next month, and hope to have the whole project done in October.