Page 12 - Nov/Dec 2020 Vol 38 No 5
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Alcoa from page 11 of the state’s future premier locations, Hunt Road, and Springbrook Farm.
with redevelopment potential for Traffic traveling from these areas,
Due to the placement of the city’s commerce at a regional scale. including Hunt Road, will access both
water, sewer, electric and other already The Big Picture the Relocated Alcoa Highway and the
existing infrastructure, relocation existing Alcoa Highway by way of the
plans and ensuing work must be The Blount County portion of the newly constructed Tyson Boulevard
quickly identified and carried through TDOT project is part of a multi-year interchange.
thoroughly, DeVente said. effort to widen and realign Alcoa
Four Phases Are Within Blount County Highway from Hall Road all the way New interchanges will be constructed
into Cherokee Trail in Blount and Knox at the entrance of McGhee Tyson
Brooks said four phases of the seven- County. The other three phases involve Airport and Wright Road. Both
phase overall Alcoa Highway project are stretches in Knox County: interchanges will provide access to
within Blount County: • From north of Little River to south of the section of existing Alcoa Highway
• Phase One (currently under referred to as the Motor Mile. The
Maloney Road Wright Road interchange will also
construction) is from State Route 35 • From south of Maloney Road to provide access to Cusick Road.
(Hall Road) to proposed interchange
at Tyson Boulevard serving McGhee Woodson Drive A new interchange will be constructed
Tyson Airport. (estimated completion • From north of Little River to south at SR 162 (Pellissippi Parkway) to
2021) provide continuous movements
• Phase Two is from that proposed of from Woodson Drive to Cherokee between Relocated Alcoa Highway and
interchange serving McGhee Tyson Trail Pellissippi Parkway.
Airport to State Route 162 (Pellissippi TDOT’s Outline in a Nutshell
Pkwy) (estimated completion 2024) The proposed improvements for State A new pedestrian greenway will be
• Phase Three is from State Route 162 Route 115 (US 129/Alcoa Highway), constructed along sections of Hunt Road,
(Pellissippi Parkway) to existing State from State Route 35 (Hall Road) to Wright Road, and Cusick Road. Another
Route 115 (Alcoa Highway) at South Cherokee Trail, in Blount and Knox new pedestrian greenway also will be
Singleton Station Road (estimated Counties, consist of reconstruction and constructed along the new Hunt Road
completion 2025) widening for approximately 13 miles. bridge, protected by a concrete median
• Phase Four is from South Singleton The section of Alcoa Highway barrier wall and connecting Mills Street,
Station Road to Little River (estimated between Singleton Station Road and Hunt Road, and Ambrose Street.
completion 2025) Cherokee Trail will follow the existing Usage of Frontage Roads
She said the four Blount County phases alignment, widening the roadway to six
not only improve passage for motorists, lanes (three in each direction) with a In Knox County, frontage roads will
but also increase the efficiency of the concrete median barrier wall. be constructed between Maloney Road
city’s infrastructure, with added benefits On the north end, the project and Woodson Drive, with interchanges
of future economic development. essentially follows the existing providing access to Cherokee Trail,
Project Also Aids Springbrook Farm, alignment from State Route 162 Woodson Drive, Montlake Drive,
Economic Development (Pellissippi Parkway) to Cherokee Trail. Mount Vernon Drive, Maloney Drive,
Brooks said the Hunt Road Bridge On the south end, the project area SR 168 (John Sevier Highway), and
phase “will provide a direct connection between State Route 35 (Hall Road) and Topside Road.
to the City’s Springbrook Farm South Singleton Station Road will be
Development,” helping draw developers constructed on new alignment. In Blount County, frontage roads
into the area. The section referred to as “Relocated will be constructed between Singleton
A retail, commercial, residential Alcoa Highway,” between SR 35 (Hall Station Road and SR 333 (Topside
and mixed-use complex off Hall Road) and South Singleton Station Road), with interchanges providing
Road, Springbrook Farm is poised for Road, will shift the alignment to the access to Topside Road, Singleton
development to begin with that Alcoa east of the existing roadway. The Station Road, existing Alcoa Highway
Highway/Hunt Road interchange new alignment will be a four-lane, (Motor Mile), Pellissippi Parkway,
revamp. Springbrook is a master- controlled-access facility, allowing for Wright Road, McGhee Tyson Airport,
planned “City Center” development that two lanes in each direction with no Hunt Road, and Tyson Boulevard.
will consist of a retail lifestyle center, signals or intersections. Future Ease for Motorists
commercial office space, a hotel and The newly-constructed roadway will
conference center, and multi-family separate local traffic from commuter While roadway construction can be
residences. through-traffic, while the existing seen as a “necessary evil” for accelerated
As the site of the former Alcoa, Inc. facility will continue to provide access to infrastructure improvements, it’s a good
West Plant, this once industrially-used local businesses. bet that motorists traveling through
property is being positioned as one A new interchange will be these stretches of Alcoa Highway will
constructed and provide access to appreciate “smoother sailing” in 2025
McGhee Tyson West Aviation area, when the final project ends …due to
years of well-coordinated planning
efforts by our local and state agencies.
12 TPW November/December 2020
