Highway project faces delay

Jeremy Nash news-herald.net

Completion of work done on U.S. Highway 321 could soon be delayed as different factors have played a role in workers’ ability to finish the job.

Mark Nagi, Tennessee Department of Transportation spokesman, said the project will likely be pushed back about 34 days to August when change orders get approved from its initial completion date of June. Nothing is official, but Nagi anticipates the change could be made in three or four weeks.

“We’ve had delays that were utility-related and due to a sinkhole on this project,” Nagi said in an email correspondence. “The contractor is currently running slightly behind schedule according to a comparison of payment versus time used.”

Plans include widening two miles from the Highway 321 and 11 intersection to Simpson Road East, with the existing roadway expanded to six lanes. The intersection will also see improvements.

Hopes are the changes will increase roadway capacity, which should reduce congestion and allow better travel times, according to a TDOT document on the project. J&M Grading Division LLC was awarded the bid, and the initial contract amount was $12.7 million.

As part of the project, the contractor will add beautification touches by planting trees, bushes and flowers. The project also entails signature signs, stamped pavement and benches and trash receptacles.

Workers encountered a sinkhole near a nail salon on Highway 11 during the summer while installing a catch basin, Nagi said, noting it was filled with rip-rap and concrete.

Tony Aikens, Lenoir City mayor, has expressed concerns about the delay in part because of water lines that were struck.

Nagi said there have been no delays due to hitting a water line, but there have been “conflicts between drainage structures/pipes and underground utilities” that did not show in the plans. Moving those caused delays, he said.

“They’re probably not saying that it’s any main issues such as hitting water lines, but I’m telling you right now they’ve hit numerous lines, numerous lines, and obviously it’s got to be fixed when that happens,” Aikens said. “If they’re digging a hole and they hit a line, they can’t proceed until that work’s done because they’re destroying where they was digging and they got to start re-digging some place else. I don’t agree with that whatsoever that that’s not some of the delay.”

Aikens understands the project has had a combination of factors in the delay.

“Obviously it’s not just the lines,” Aikens said. “Didn’t know about the sinkhole issue, but I’m sure that may be an issue, but it’s that, hitting the lines, weather-related. ... I mean, I would love for it to be finished right now but it’s not. And again, a lot of it’s weather-related. We’ve had more rain this year in a very long time.”

Amber Scott, Lenoir City administrator, said she understands the community’s aggravation with driving around the area because of construction, but the result should be worth it in the end.

“You do not want to rush the project,” Scott said. “However it is unfortunate because we have businesses depending on timely completion of the project, but I do understand that various delays occur due to circumstances that are outside the control of the contractor, of the subcontractor, but it is unfortunate.”