By Charlie Hutson

LAFOLLETTE, TN (WLAF) – If you can remember this, you’ve aged 10 years.  Ten years ago today, November 24,  2011, the new Congressman J. Will Taylor (aka) Skyway Bridge was opened.

Traffic was allowed to travel all the lanes for the first time on the new bridge. Construction on the bridge started in September 2009 and lasted for 26 months.  

The new bridge replaced the original bridge built in 1947 along with the 4 lane highway that was being built through Lafollette to Jacksboro. The project was supposed to have started in the early 1940s, but due to World War II, the project was put on hold until after the war. Construction on the entire project, four lane and bridge, was completed in the early 1950s. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 11/24/2021-6AM-PHOTO COURTESY OF WLAF’S CHARLIE HUTSON)

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