May 24, 2012
SEVIER Co., Tenn. (WVLT) -- Friday the third and final phase of construction on State Route 66 in Sevier County goes to bid, making the project one step closer to a finished roadway.
"It was bad before the construction, now it's really bad," said Gerald Stropp.
For drivers like Stropp, congestion mixed with construction makes SR-66 slow going. Since he makes three or four trips a day between Kodak and Sevierville, he knows its needed.
"It's going to be like the interstate up through here when they get done. So that will be great," he said, "Maybe it will bring some more business back to town."
"I'll just be glad when it's done."
"Construction sometimes is painful but once we get out of the way, people have just been overwhelmed with how much they love the new section that's completed in town," said TDOT project engineer Kristin Qualls.
TDOT finished the first, four-mile section near downtown Sevierville in November. Now work is underway near Kodak and I-40. Finally crews will connect the two in the middle with a two mile stretch.
TDOT will accept bids for that third phase of the project Friday. If everything goes well, construction could start as early as next month. Work is estimated to finish up in October 2014.
Part 3 is right in Smoky Mountain Knife Works' front yard.
"Like any other business on 66, we're concerned," said Travis Ferguson, the company's chief operating officer. "A decrease in traffic flow is not what anybody needs in this economy."
While their business continues to grow, they worry barricades and cones could make it hard to get to their shop.
TDOT says they're working to maintain business access at all times, as they have since work began in 2009.
"It's a two lane roadway now, we're going to provide the same two lanes for people to turn in and out of businesses as they function now," said Qualls. "The only difference is you're going to see a lot of earth being moved and a lot of equipment in the area."
"We tell customers we're open. Sometimes it doesn't look like it from the road with all the construction that's going on," said Ferguson. "But we are open and there are several ways to get here."
You can keep up with the project's progress online by clicking on the links above.
