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The Tennessee Department of Transportation has "boots on the ground" investigating alternatives routes for the proposed Pellissippi Parkway extension.

Currently, the department is actively gathering data for the environmental impact statement, said Travis Brickey, TDOT spokesman. "We're in the nuts and bolts of the technical studies," he said. "That's a time-consuming process. We actually have boots on the ground doing environmental assessments."

The proposed Pellissippi Parkway extension would tie Old Knoxville Highway to East Lamar Alexander Parkway. The most recent extension of the Pellissippi Parkway to Old Knoxville Highway was completed in August 2006.

TDOT is evaluating four options in the environmental impact statement:

The two main alternate routes under consideration begin from Old Knoxville Highway, parallel to Jackson Hills Drive, and cross Wildwood Road, Sevierville Road and Davis Ford Road. Corridor A would connect with East Lamar Alexander Highway about one mile west of Helton Road near Morning Star Baptist Church.

Corridor C would connect with East Lamar Alexander Highway about one-half mile west of Helton Road, across from Hubbard School Road.

The proposals have generated a great deal of discussion locally. William "Booty" Miller, a member of the Raven Society, said that his personal opinion is if the road is built, it needs to connect much closer to the urbanized sections of Maryville.

"For the most part, it seems to me that the course that most people have been interested in is closer and closer to Maryville instead of going way out (east)," Miller said. "I don't like it going that close to Heritage High School ... to dump the traffic there would be a mistake. The Raven Society's position has pretty much been if they are going to have a road, run it through closer to city limits.

"If they are going to extend the parkway, bring it on in closer to Maryville. Gridlock is already here. It seems to me that we'd be moving the gridlock a little farther out in the county rather than where we have streets and roads to take care of it. If we dumped it out there, there are not as many choices."

There is a third alternative. A route using existing Sam Houston, Peppermint Road, Hitch Road and Helton Road has been identified. Under this alternative, now referred to as Corridor D, an improved two-lane roadway would be constructed using the existing roadway alignment where possible, while straightening curves and realigning intersections and using new location to provide a continuous route.

TDOT is also considering a non-build option.

According to the TDOT Web site for the project, the agency is scheduled to produce a draft environmental impact statement for public hearings and comments in summer 2009.

"The steps to go forward are to finalize the technical studies and have agencies like the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency look over and review those technical studies," Brickey said. "At some point, down the line, we would have to a draft EIS to the public. It's a little bit far out to be able to say when it might be scheduled. We need to get a little further down the road on these technical studies."