45 Bypass closes for bridge demolition

JACKSON, Tenn. — “We’re gonna shut down the U.S. 45 Bypass at the interstate as well as the interstate traffic,” Nichole Lawrence, Community Relations Officer with the Tennessee Department of Transportation, said.

So drivers in Jackson will have to find a different route this weekend.

“The interstate traffic will run up and over the interstate ramps, but the interstate-bypass traffic will not be running north and south,” Lawrence said.

Last weekend TDOT moved all traffic to the outside lanes of the 45 Bypass.

And now they’ve got all the gear and equipment they need to start demolishing the inside lanes of the 45 Bypass.

TDOT officials say that project will start at 8 p.m Friday through Monday morning at 6 a.m., and they say that project could take up to the next three weekends.

“They really think they can get it knocked out in two weekends,” Lawrence said.

Lawrence says this is all dependent on the weather. There are also different constraints on this project now that they’re working on the inside lanes.

“You don’t have as much room on to get the equipment and do the demo, so they’ll be working on top and underneath which is why the closure on the interstate as well,” Lawrence said.

The project as a whole is to make sure the bridge can keep up with the growth of Jackson.

“Jackson grows, the interstate traffic grows. The interstate traffic carries about 50,000 cars in a 24 hour period right now through Jackson, and the Bypass is just under 45,000,” Lawrence said.

They still have a projected finishing date of June 2021.