There has been no delay from the original plan for reopening the road, Scott said, with Aug. 2 always serving as the target date.
 

Jeanne Barker, Lenoir City Schools superintendent, called Aug. 2 a “drop dead date” during a Lenoir City Board of Education meeting in July.
 

“Whenever the decision was made that it was necessary to close it, from the time that school would be out for summer it has always been Aug. 2,” Scott said. “… Of course, we have worked with the school on that. They have been in every single one of our meetings.”
 

School officials have faith that both lanes will be open by that promised Aug. 2 date, but work is being done to ease traffic conditions when students do return to Lenoir City High School.
 

“We are working on ways to mitigate the amount of traffic, looking at the traffic flow,” Barker said. “Mike Sims and (Lenoir City Police) Chief (Don) White are working with the high school administrators and looking at how we can lessen the congestion.”
 

Construction on the road project will be ongoing, but should not take place while students are arriving or leaving the high school, Barker said.

She is urging students to use caution on the roads when they return to class since traffic flow could be different from what they remember.
 

“That’s my biggest concern is I just want to make sure students are safe, that they’re not looking at their cellphones or looking around at construction,” Barker said. “… Chief White has indicated that he’ll have additional officers out there, and we’ll have our school resource officers as well. The construction company will also be putting up signs, so that should help.”
 

Water to LCHS was turned back on last week, which Barker called “real progress” after faculty had been using bottled water throughout the summer.