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Future of historic OSF truss bridge discussed

Members of The Old Stone Fort Preservation Group nonprofit met with officials from both the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) as well as the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) in Murfreesboro Thursday, Jan. 4. The topic of the meeting, which lasted nearly two-hours, was the future of the historic truss bridge currently located within Old Stone Fort State Archeological Park.

Those also attending the meeting included engineers affiliated with the OSF Preservation Group, State Rep. Rush Bricken and State Sen. Janice Bowling who joined the meeting remotely.

The expressed purpose of the meeting, which was requested by the nonprofit, was to present an alternative to the state’s current plan, which is the removal and replacement of the historic 1906 truss bridge.

TDEC Office of External Affairs Chuck Yoest said during the meeting he hoped both sides would be able to find some common ground.

“I was thinking about what I think both groups would like to gain from our time here today and some things that I came up with on my own or some goals you might call them is just to learn from one another and better understand the history, the decisions that have been made up to this point and any ideas that we have,” Yoest said to kick off the meeting.

During the meeting, TDOT representatives explained why the 1906 truss bridge is slated to be removed and replaced by a modern, single lane bridge that will connect the OSF campground with the rest of the park. Plans for the existing bridge are to remove the truss portion of it and relocate it to another area within the park to create a scenic overlook.

While the bridge is owned by TDEC, its inspections and maintenance are overseen by TDOT.

“The reason this project exists is because it was included in the 2017 Improve Act that this bridge was identified as a structure to be replaced as part of that legislation,” TDOT state bridge engineer Ted Kniazewycz said.

Kniazewycz said federal funds allocated to the project include the options of bringing the existing bridge up to current vehicular traffic standards for all legal loads with a 75-year service life or replacing it with a modern structure.

“In our evaluation of the bridge, generally we found some critical areas that included yielding of the floor girders, the floor beams, in two locations on the bridge,” he said. “In our analysis, to bring the bridge up to current standards and provide a full service life we would be obligated to replace those members in kind, is what we would prefer to do to maintain the integrity of the bridge for all those members and in doing such we would also replace all the hangers, hanger plates and associated other items that are on the bridge.”

“In our assessment, the amount of work that would be required to bring it up to current standards and get an extended service life was not in the best interest of the state to pursue maintaining the bridge as it is,” Kniazewycz added.

The federal funding allocated to the project cannot be allocated for any other use within the park.

Deb Morgan of the The Old Stone Fort Preservation Group said members of the nonprofit disagree with that assessment, and that the historic bridge can be rehabilitated in place for significantly less than the estimated $8.5 million to replace it.

Morgan said engineers working with their nonprofit also disagree with the state regarding the necessity of a new bridge and believe the existing bridge could be rehabilitated for about $300,000 as a pedestrian, biking and light maintenance use bridge, while making the Country Club Drive campground entrance permanent.

“The cost to repair that bridge, bring it up to useable standards, not 18-wheeler, but what the park needs and what the visitors need and what the campers need, the cost to repair it and keep the campers coming in the other side is about 90% less than the stated current budget to replace it,” she said.

Yoest said that in the event the existing bridge were to be refurbished for pedestrian use and the Country Club Drive entrance were to be made permanent, it would most likely require financial commitments by the City of Manchester and Coffee County.

“There would still have to be arrangements made for maintenance of Country Club Drive and that would not be TDOT, that would fall to the county or city, depending on the portion of the drive because if I am not mistaken both have ownership of a portion of that,” he said.

Morgan also took issue with the state’s plan to relocate the truss portion of the bridge to another area of the park to create an overlook near the Garrison Trail.

“The Garrison Trail over there is the least traveled trail in the United States, that is the local joke,” she said. “It is a quarter mile from the dump station and the check-in station to walk there. There is no parking off of (Highway) 41, you are going to have to create it, more habitat damage.”

Morgan said as part of The Old Stone Fort Preservation Group’s proposal, memorial bricks would be sold to create a park-like atmosphere around the entrance to the bridge, and it could be used as a source of revenue for the park.

“It can be a flagship for the renaissance of that park,” Morgan said.

State Sen. Janice Bowling asked if the State will seriously take into consideration what was said during the meeting, or if the ultimate decision regarding the bridge had already been made and is final.

“Our attitude is the same as the public meeting where we are still seeking feedback, we are honoring yours and Rep. Bricken and the Preservation Group’s request to have more discussion in a meeting about engineering and then the feedback from this meeting and the questions and all will be used to make future decisions on the project,” Yoest replied. “The plan is not set in stone, we do have a proposed plan, you guys know that now, but all of these interactions are going into the decision making before we move forward.”

State Rep. Rush Bricken said a significant amount of momentum has made early on in the efforts to replace the OSF bridge, and it is time to pull back some.

“I think we can get to a common ground and figure this out, we are smart enough to do that,” Bricken said. “I think sadly there was a lot of early inertia that we have to pull back from that,” Bricken said. “I hope we are mature enough to figure this out and come up with the best solution.”