NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — On Friday, the Broadway bridge will shut down until Sept. 7. During that two-month period, crews plan to replace the downtown Nashville bridge, which crosses over 11th Avenue and the CSX Railroad.

“It is a very ambitious timeline, but that’s part of these delivery methods,” said Rebekah Hammonds, the Region 3 community relations officer for the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT). “This is what’s called an alternative delivery method, which means that we are working hand in hand with contractors and consultants even before construction begins.”

Starting Friday, July 7, Upper Broadway will be closed from 8th Avenue to 13th Avenue, and 11th Avenue will be closed from Porter Street to McGavock Street.

Motorists are asked to use Demonbreun Street and Church Street as the primary detour route around the closure.

(Courtesy: Tennessee Department of Transportation)

Every day, more than 20,000 vehicles travel over the Broadway bridge as people flow in and out of downtown Nashville. It’s also very close to several hotels, developments, historic sites, and active CSX rail lines.

“We have been meeting with these stakeholders on a regular basis. We’ve been communicating with them on a regular basis,” said Hammonds. “Before work even got started, we were visiting organizations like the Downtown Partnership, the chamber of commerce, city council, things like that to make sure word was spread because we do know that this is going to be a very high impact for some of these businesses.”

Grand Hyatt officials said they are keeping guests and employees updated with detailed rerouting maps. However, with the Grand Hyatt hosting the 2023 SEC Media Days from July 17 to July 20, construction will be paused during that time.

Meanwhile, a manager at Holiday Inn Express, which is located along the portion of Broadway set to be closed, said the project is a short-term inconvenience for a long-term improvement.

According to TDOT, the Broadway bridge will be totally replaced during the two-month closure period. After that, crews will work on the sidewalk, bridge railing, and lighting until the project completion date, which is scheduled for Oct. 31.

To learn more about the Broadway bridge project, click here.