Friday, April 19, 2019

TDOT projects
Tennessee officials on Thursday announced a $2.1 billion infrastructure plan for 2020-2022 that includes funding for projects across the state. In a statement announcing the plan, Gov. Bill Lee said: "Investing in infrastructure is an important part of driving economic opportunity throughout our state. This funding, particularly for rural Tennessee, will help to keep Tennesseans safe." The three-year Tennessee Department of Transportation program features infrastructure investments for 139 individual project phases. It also provides support for Lee's first executive order by funding work on 86 highway and bridge projects in economically distressed and at-risk counties. It places an emphasis on the repair and replacement of bridges, with work starting on 91 structures in 44 counties. Seventeen of those bridges are on state highways, with the other 74 on local roads. The program also builds on the IMPROVE Act, which was started by former governor Bill Haslam and provides for infrastructure investments in all 95 counties through a gas tax. Highway projects in Cocke County include... I-40 Comprehensive Multimodal Program by TDOT to the state line; I-40 Hartford Welcome Center Renovation and the Highway 321(Newport Bypass) from the West Highway 25/70 Corridor to near Saint Tide Hollow Road. At the Partnership/Economic Development meeting later on Thursday, Newport City Planner Gary Carver reported that the Bypass construction will begin in 2020. The Bypass is the top road project in Region 1, for TDOT. "There were two pieces of property that were holding everything up. If you look at the map, they have right of way from start to finish. I guess those two pieces of property came on through and we are ready to go. It's just shovel and ground time." The road is to be primarily four and five lanes, and may include some sidewalks, and bike lanes. In Jefferson County....... the only project is; upgrades to I-81 from the I-40. split north to Exit 4 (Roy Messer Highway. Local bridge projects in Cocke County include the construction of bridges on Old State Highway 32 Over Cosby Creek; I‐40 bridge over Green Corner Road and the Ball Park Road bridge over Cosby Creek. In Jefferson County construction of two bridges over Lost Creek is planned; one on Mine Road and another on Day Road.


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Thursday, April 29, 2021

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