Back in June 2024, the Gay Street bridge closed after a State inspection. On the way out of the White House, former President Biden awarded Knoxville grant money for a pedestrian bridge just a tad West of the Henley Street Bridge. The new bridge would connect Thompson Boling Arena to Vestal.
Now, the Gay Street will reopen in late 2025, early 2026 as a pedestrian and Emergency Vehicle only bridge. Well there we have it the pedestrian bridge. No need for us to have two pedestrian bridges. Right? Right!
Think about this
Bridge one is East of the Gay Street bridge and West of the Island Home Airport. It is the South Knox Bridge connected East Knoxville students to South Doyle Middle and people to Knoxville’s Urban Forest.
Bridge Two is West of Bridge One, our new pedestrian bridge. It once connected downtown to the Baptist Hospital. It now connects Regal Rivera theater on Gay Street to the Regal Cinema offices.
Bridge Three is further West and is the Henley Street Bridge, it connects North Knox to South Knox and functions as an all traffic bridge and a one time fireworks platform for Labor Day.
Bridge Four further West of Henley Street and is currently a dream or fantasy of University of Tennessee intellectuals and sport enthusiasts wanting to walk to Vestal.
Bridge Five is a bit further west of the fantasy bridge and it is the Buck Karnes Bridge along Alcoa Highway aka known as All Killa Highway. It connects the world to Maryville, Alcoa, Vonore, all things Monroe County. It also connects the world to the Townsend (the peaceful side of the Smoky Mountains) Cades Cove and Wears Valley.
While Knoxville believes it has a bridge problem, I do not think they do. a fantasy bridge to Vestal is not even a remotely good investment of any tax dollars, Local, State and/or Federal, in my opinion. That is why you are here, RIGHT? RIGHT!
