Support Us Button Widget
City

Updates on the Gay Street Bridge repair project

It looks like the bridge will reopen for foot traffic as early as this year.

May 16, 2025 • 
Jessalin Heins-Nagamoto
The a ferry installs a barge on the far riverbank beneath the green and steel Gay Street Bridge on a sunny day.

To begin construction, crews needed to install a repair barge.

Photo via @mayorkincannon

In case you missed it, the historic Gay Street Bridge closed earlier this year due to structural damage. The bridge will be reopening, but not to cars — at least not yet. Let’s catch you up on the progress.

By the numbers

  • 127 years. That’s how old this bridge is. It was built in 1898 and originally cost $233,000 to build.
  • $40-$50 million. The estimated cost of repairing “a bridge that’s that age” for vehicular traffic, according to Knoxville Deputy Director of Engineering Christopher Howley. The city is not currently pursuing this option, instead opting for time to develop a long-term plan.
  • $2.85 million. The amount that the city has invested in opening the bridge to pedestrians.
View of the Gay Street Bridge in Knoxville, Tennessee, showing its steel truss structure stretching across the Tennessee River under a partly cloudy sky, with trees and buildings visible along the riverbanks.

The Gay Street Bridge originally opened on the Fourth of July in 1898.

Photo via Wikimedia Commons

When will the bridge reopen?

The Gay Street Bridge has been closed since June 2024. After months of assessment and design, construction began on the repairs in May 2025.

The bridge is expected to reopen for pedestrians and cyclists by the end of the year.

Will cars be allowed on the bridge?

The plan is to replace the bridge in 5-10 years — to the tune of at least $60 million. After that, cars might be back on the table — er, bridge?

How do I stay in the loop?

Subscribe to 865today, for starters. Or you can track progress on the city’s website.