Replacing an Iconic Gateway into Nashville

As the main western gateway into Nashville, the Broadway Viaduct Bridge spans five active CSX railroad lines, 11th Avenue South, and a greenway, and it serves as a crucial arterial for the city, carrying not only 26,000 vehicles daily but also critical telecommunications for the downtown area. An incredibly complex endeavor, replacing the existing bridge included working closely with and gathering input from many stakeholders such as the Nashville Department of Transportation, property owners and developers, and CSX.

The bridge replacement was delivered using the Construction Manager/General Contractor (CM/GC) delivery method, where the owner (TDOT), designer (Gresham Smith) and contractor (Kiewit) formed a genuine partnership to mitigate risk, meet the project schedule and improve constructability. To minimize the impacts of the construction to the travelling public, the team used accelerated bridge construction techniques that resulted in the complete replacement of the bridge superstructure during a mere 8-week full closure of the bridge. TDOT’s goal was to create a new structure that would complement and not overshadow either the historic Union Station hotel or the city’s modern developments near the bridge.