Blog: City Blog

Both Jackson Avenue Ramps Now Open; Compare 'Before' and 'After' Photos

The $8.7 million Jackson Avenue Ramps Replacement Project will soon be in the books. The West Ramp opened on New Year's Eve 2020, and the East Ramp just opened this afternoon (Friday, Jan. 22).

Some utility relocation work remains, then some final stormwater infrastructure installation. But all sidewalks and driving lanes are permanently open.

The project began in fall 2019 with the demolition of the structurally deficient century-old ramps at Gay Street and Jackson Avenue. They were replaced with modern safety-engineered ramps, but designed, detailed and colored to replicate the look and feel of the vintage originals.

Built in 1919-20 as a component of the original Gay Street Viaduct that spanned the Southern Railway rail yard, the only major repair work on the ramps since their construction was done in 2008-09, when the East Ramp was closed temporarily by TDOT. A routine inspection had revealed an issue with a support beam.

The 100-year-old ramps were definitely showing their age. Here are a few "before" photos of the original Jackson Avenue Ramps, taken in 2019:

100-year-old Jackson Ramps, showing their age

100-year-old Jackson Ramps, showing their age

Concrete was eroding on the original Jackson Ramps

And here are the "after" photos of the new ramps:

East Ramp

Posted by evreeland On 22 January, 2021 at 4:25 PM