County Mayor Weston Wamp on Tuesday announced the county has been awarded a grant up to $200,000 from the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) to study the potential benefits of constructing a bridge to connect two major communities in northern unincorporated Hamilton County.
The study will include a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis and a thorough review of travel demand and traffic patterns for the proposed bridge connecting areas near Birchwood and Soddy Daisy.
“The future of the county is to the North, and this study will allow us to explore the potential of a transformative bridge connecting both sides of the river,” said County Mayor Wamp. “I am grateful to Rep. Greg Martin for spurring the conversation about the long-term opportunities for the state and county to partner in these unique communities in Hamilton County.”
In a cooperative effort between the Chattanooga Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) and Hamilton County Public Works, this Regional Traffic Movement Study marks the preliminary stages in addressing the feasibility and economic opportunities a potential bridge would provide.
In 2010, TDOT evaluated the possibility of constructing a toll bridge to cover project costs but it was deemed unfavorable based on lower travel demand at the time. Given the increase in growth nearly 15 years later, accompanied by community interest, a present-day analysis on a prospective bridge will provide insight into the benefits for Hamilton County and beyond, the county mayor said.
“This is exciting news that I hope will lead to the construction of a much-needed bridge,” said Rep. Martin. “As Hamilton County and Tennessee’s population continue growing, we must find ways to improve our infrastructure to keep up with demand and focus on economic progress. This study is a starting point for making travel in our community safer, faster, and more efficient. I thank TDOT, Mayor Wamp, and all the stakeholders involved in securing this important funding.”
Next steps will be determined following the results of this preliminary study. As it is a large prospective infrastructure project, the process is expected to be long-term and can take more than 10 years to be completed.