KNOXVILLE-Motorists using U.S. 25/70 (State Route 9) will need to take an alternate route Wednesday, March 17 when TDOT bridge inspectors close the bridge over the French Broad River in Newport to perform a routine bridge inspection.

U.S. 25/70 (State Route 9 or East Broadway) in Newport will be closed from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. on March 17. Motorists will be detoured onto U.S. 321 and State Route 340.

The U.S. 25/70 bridge over the French Broad River is a steel truss bridge originally constructed in 1932. It is currently weight restricted to a maximum of 10 tons, so all traffic must be removed from the bridge during the inspection to allow for the weight of inspection trucks.

Since a massive rockslide closed Interstate-40 in North Carolina in October 2009, local drivers have used U.S 25/70 (State Route 9) as a detour.

"We realize this is an inconvenience for motorists, but we take the safety of the traveling public seriously and bridge inspections are a high priority for TDOT," Region One Director Steve Borden said. "Under our bridge inspection program this weight restricted structure is required to be inspected every six months."

TDOT has a $6.2 million contract to replace the U.S. 25/70 (State Route 9) bridge. A new structure is currently under construction and is expected to open by fall 2010.

For more information on TDOT construction project activity visit the TDOT SmartWay web site at www.tn.gov/tdot/tdotsmartway/. Travelers can also dial 511 from any land-line or cellular phone for travel information or follow us on Twitter. For up to the minute traffic information in Knoxville and the Tri-Cities follow us @Knoxville511 (www.twitter.com/knoxville511). For statewide travel information follow @TN51 (www.twitter.com/TN511).