CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – The McClure Bridge, which carries Highway 48/13 over the Cumberland River south of Clarksville, will be closed for a few hours this week in order to demolish the older portion of the bridge.
Tennessee Department of Transportation contract crews will need to close the new lanes between 7 and 9 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 10 in order to demolish the older 400-foot span, according to a news release.
“We expect the blast to take place right right around 7 a.m. and the new bridge over the river is going to be closed during that time,” said Kathryn Schulte, TDOT spokeswoman. “We need drivers to expect delays between about 7 a.m. and 9 a.m.”
Drivers are advised to use an alternate route that morning, such as the Cunningham Bridge to the north at Zinc Plant Road.
The work is part of the widening project on Highways 149 and 13 that has been underway since March 2018. The project includes a new four-lane bridge over the Cumberland to replace the old two-lane McClure Bridge, the release said.
Currently, traffic is using two lanes that have been opened on the newly constructed bridge. The old bridge needs to be taken down in order to complete the new structure.
For more information on the project, go to the TDOT website. The project is estimated to be completed in early 2022.