The intersection improvements at Ford Road, Muddy Creek Road and Highway 11 which include turn lanes and red lights on all four approaches also includes widening of the whole intersection which requires the demolition of the old store building on the Muddy Creek side. That demolition began Friday.

The old building which has been a grocery, restaurant, barber shop, apartments and no telling what else over the years is just about all gone. The big track hoe brought in for the job made pretty quick work of the structure.

No one seems to really know the age of the building but it's been there for as long as anyone can remember. Highway 11 from Knox County to Lenoir City was completed in the late 1920's, early 30's. Shortly after the highway was opened little businesses popped along the rout. The area around this intersection was known as Lee Heights.

Besides this old building, on the other side of Muddy Creek Road where the car lot is now, there was the Lee Heights Motor Court which consisted of six individual little cottages and an office.       

Anyway, the first part of the project required the removal of the building. Hopefully that means the rest of the project will be underway shortly.

Fingers crossed.