Trucks banned from Wilcox railroad bridge in Chattanooga
Thursday, November 10, 2011
The Wilcox Boulevard bridge crosses over the DeButts railroad yard.The Wilcox Boulevard bridge over the DeButts Rail Yard will be barred to trucks and buses for safety reasons, city officials said this afternoon.
"Age-related structural issues" in the 54-year-old bridge off Riverside Drive make it unsafe for anything heavier than passenger vehicles, a news release from Mayor Ron Littlefield's office said.
"The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) identified numerous structural issues earlier this year and has notified the City of Chattanooga that load limits must be posted. Non-compliance will result in a suspension of all federal aid funding," according to the release from Littlefield's spokesman, Richard Beeland.
The weight limits are set to take effect Nov. 17 and will bar anything heavier than 10 tons from using the bridge.
See Friday's Times Free Press for complete coverage.