State and local officials cut the ribbon on Tuesday to the new interchange and bridge at Exit 20 in Cleveland. In the photo are state Rep. Dan Howell, R-Georgetown; left, state Sen. Mike Bell, R-Riceville; state Sen. Todd Gardenhire, R-Chattanooga; Bradley County Mayor D. Gary Davis; TDOT Commissioner John Schroer, Kim and state Rep. Kevin Brooks; Cleveland Mayor Tom Rowland; U.S. 3rd District Rep. Chuck Fleischmann and Paul Degges, TDOT deputy commissioner, Bureau of Engineering.
A semitractor-trailer passes through the intersection at Exit 20 as TDOT Commissioner John Schroer makes opening remarks at a ribbon-cutting ceremony Tuesday in Cleveland. In the photo are state Rep. Dan Howell, R-Georgetown; left, state Sen. Mike Bell, R-Riceville; state Sen. Todd Gardenhire, R-Chattanooga; Bradley County Mayor D. Gary Davis; TDOT Commissioner Schroer, state Rep. Kevin Brooks; Cleveland Mayor Tom Rowland and U.S. 3rd District Rep. Chuck Fleischmann.
TDOT Commissioner John Schroer, left, gives state Rep. Kevin Brooks, R-Cleveland, a piece of the ribbon cut Tuesday morning to officially open the new Exit 20 interchange. In the photo is Kim Brooks and Cleveland Mayor Tom Rowland.
Tennessee Department of Transportation Commissioner John Schroer joined state and local officials on Tuesday to celebrate the official completion of the Exit 20 interchange modification project in Cleveland, Tenn.
Work began on the 1.4-mile project in August 2013. During the project, a narrow two-lane bridge at the I-75 Exit 20 interchange was replaced with a new six-lane overpass bridge. The new bridge has two lanes in each direction with a double center turn lane. In addition, all entrance and exit ramps were improved and a new traffic signal system was installed. Drivers should also benefit from a new high-mast lighting system that was put in place at the interchange as part of the project.
“We are very pleased to be here today to celebrate the completion of this important project with our state and local partners and the citizens of Cleveland,” said Commissioner Schroer. “This project will not only improve traffic flow at Exit 20, it will also make this area much safer and will benefit all motorists and area residents.”
The contractor for the $12.9 million project is Simpson Construction Co., Inc. of Cleveland, and the project was substantially complete and open to traffic by the original completion date of November 2015.
Representative Kevin Brooks (R-Cleveland), Senator Todd Gardenhire (R-Chattanooga), Senator Mike Bell (R-Riceville) and Representative Dan Howell (R-Georgetown) represent Bradley County in the Tennessee General Assembly.