Bid Awarded and Date of Initial Stage of Dandridge Bridge Project

Bids are in for the SR 92 Bridge Project that will impact downtown Dandridge and residents and businesses on the Chestnut Hill side of Douglas Lake. The project was awarded to Simpson Construction Company at a price of $29,106,151, which was the lowest of three bids submitted for the project and more than $2 million dollars less than the next closest bid and around $6 million cheaper than the highest bid. Though the bids are in, residents should not expect to see any real action on the actual bridge erection for several months.

According to Mark Nagi of Tennessee Department of Transportation, before construction can begin on the bridge, work must be done on a staging area that will be located in a lot that currently belongs to TWRA. Nagi stated that in order to fully utilize the TWRA area, a new lot will be constructed near the present parking lot and ramp. Construction on that lot is slotted to be completed by April of 2016 and the initial plan will also include the staking of signs, clearing of vegetation and trees, as well as the mobilization of necessary equipment.

TDOT is expecting a more detailed schedule to be submitted by the end of the month and the due date for the completion of the entire project is on or before April 15, 2019.