Sickler Road Bridge in Lewis County is Set for Repairs

Last week, Tennessee Department of Transportation officials informed the Lewis County Government that the final plans for the Sickler Road Bridge were authorized. The existing Sickler Road Bridge in Texas Bottom has been progressively deteriorating for decades, with recent state inspections revealing six-inch deep chips and exposed rebar. The authorities also reduced the bridge’s weight limit to five tons and rated its condition as unsatisfactory. The state will provide nearly all of the funding for the new bridge. It will be built higher, longer, and wider to reduce flooding and increase public safety. The weight restriction will be extended by many tons to allow heavy trucks and school buses to cross the Buffalo River securely. This is fantastic news for the town, and Mayor Jonah Keltner extends his thanks to everyone at TDOT, Collier Engineering, and the County Highway Department for ensuring that these plans were properly developed and authorized in time for the new bridge to be included in the state’s future budget.