Sevierville Road work speeding up
By Iva Butler | (ivab@thedailytimes.com)
Motorists can expect to see a lot more activity starting next week on the portion of Sevierville Road in Maryville that is being widened.
The major work so far was installing a 42-inch storm water concrete pipe on the lower end.
Starting next week, the subcontractor said he will be making a lot more progress on utility relocation, said Maryville Assistant Engineer Brian Boone. He attended a Tennessee Department of Transportation meeting on the project Friday.
“Work is still all about utilities,” Boone said.
The sanitary sewer line is basically being rebuilt beside the existing sewer line. The contractor must keep the old one working until the new line is completed, he said.
Electric and phone lines have been relocated.
The natural gas and water line have not been relocated. The gas line basically goes in with the sanitary sewer line, he said.
“The big thing is there will be a lot more equipment and people in the work zone starting next week,” Boone said.
Work started around the first of November and is expected to take 10 to 12 months or more.
One lane of traffic is open coming westbound into town and outgoing eastbound traffic is being detoured. The detour goes along Washington Street to East Lamar Alexander Parkway to Cherokee Street. After turning left onto Cherokee, the detour continues with a right turn onto Crest Road. The detour concludes with a left turn onto Wilcox Street and back onto Sevierville Road at the traffic light.
The road will be widened to three lanes with a center turn lane and sidewalks and curb and gutter on both sides.
The 0.407-mile section runs from west of Walnut Street to east of Bogart Lane.
Contractor on the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) project is Highways Inc., which bid $1,664,351.
Financing is coming through safety funds provided by the federal government to TDOT.
“There are a lot of front-to-rear accidents where people stop to turn onto Cherokee Street and drivers come around the curve and hit them at right angles when the pavement is wet or slick,” Boone said earlier.
