WILSON COUNTY, Tenn. (WTVF) — A bridge closure near Gladeville has forced Wilson County residents to spend more time commuting and running errands since January, and the project is still months away from completion.
The bridge on Stewarts Ferry Pike over Suggs Creek has been closed while a new one is being built.
That's causing traffic issues on many of the roads near there while a detour is in place.
For nearby resident Roger Trimble, who has lived in Wilson County for 34 years, the detours have added up quickly.
"It probably adds at least a minimum of 15 minutes to a half hour," Trimble said.
Steve Murphy with the Wilson County Road Commission said weather has been one of the primary reasons for delays.
Beyond weather, Murphy said some of the structural components of the bridge require extended curing periods before work can continue.
"The beams that they actually set on, they've got to set for like 90 days, three months before they can be moved,” said Steve Murphy, road superintendent for the Wilson County Road Commission.
The deck on top of the bridge also requires a waiting period.
"We've got to wait 27 days before they can get on the deck," Murphy said.
Murphy said he empathizes with frustrated residents.
"I'm frustrated too; I want it done quicker, and the contractors that are doing it, they want to get it done. It's just that we've had some hiccups here and there," Murphy said.
When we spoke earlier this summer, Murphy had hoped the bridge would be done by August; now he’s hoping for mid-October.
"We're hoping for mid-October, but I can't guarantee that. That's what we're kind of hoping for," Murphy said.
The project is technically scheduled to last until January, but Murphy said he is optimistic it could wrap up sooner — weather permitting.
For Trimble, the finish line cannot come soon enough.
"It will just be absolutely marvelous. It really will," Trimble said.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at robb.coles@newschannel5.com.
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