TDOT officials issued the latest construction update:

Update:

Monday, May 10, 2004 The contractor will have a lane closed on SR 153 South from Shepherd Road to Lee Highway to do drainage and paving work on the shoulder. This closure will take place from 8:30 a.m. EDT until 4:00 p.m. EDT. There will be only one lane open to traffic during this time.

The I-75 widening project (mm 6 to mm 9) Motorists should be alert to changing conditions. Two lanes in each direction will be maintained throughout construction, with the exception of periodic nighttime or weekend lane closures. Congestion will be evident for a few more weeks in the Lee Highway and Bonny Oaks Drive intersection area to allow grading and installation of the drainage system.

U.S. 127 (SR-8, Market Street) resurfacing project from Martin Luther King Boulevard to 20th Street Preliminary work necessary for the beginning of asphalt paving will be performed in the blocks between Martin Luther King Boulevard and 20th Street. Entire sections where this work is taking place will be closed to traffic between the hours of 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. This same format will be utilized in succeeding blocks North to South nightly to the end of the project at 20th Street. Currently the contractor for this project will be paving the prepared areas on Saturday, May 8, and Sunday, May 9. This paving work will begin at Martin Luther King Boulevard and continue south. As much of these prepared areas will be covered as is possible, and this paving work will continue on successive weekends (Saturday and Sunday) until all paving is complete. Estimated completion date is August 2004.

Highway 153 from I-75 to North of Amnicola Highway. Widening to three lanes in each direction. Following is the contractor’s latest schedule for upcoming work on Highway 153.

Thursday, May 6
The contractor will be paving on Highway 153 South in the area from the Chickamauga Dam to the Jersey Pike interchange. There will be a lane closure from 8:30 a.m. until work is complete. There will be only one lane open to traffic. There will also be intermittent ramp closures as crews pave by the ramps. The afternoon rush hour may be affected. Please avoid the area if possible.

Friday, May 7
The contractor will be paving on Higwhay 153 South in the area from the Chickamauga Dam to the Jersey Pike interchange. There will be a lane closure beginning at 8:30 a.m. and ending by 4:00 p.m. There will be only one lane open to traffic. There will also be intermittent ramp closures as crews pave by the ramps.

Saturday, May 8
The contractor will be paving on Highway 153 South in the area from the Chickamauga Dam to the Jersey Pike interchange. There will be a lane closure from 7 a.m. until work is complete. There will be only one lane open to traffic. There will also be intermittent ramp closures as crews pave by the ramps.

Sunday, May 9
The contractor will not be working on the Mother’s Day holiday. Two lanes will be open to traffic, and there will be no ramp closures.

Monday, May 10
If the paving on Highway 153 South has not been completed over the weekend, the contractor will continue paving on Highway 153 South in the area from the Chickamauga Dam to the Jersey Pike interchange. There will be a lane closure from 8:30 a.m. until work is complete. There will be only one lane open to traffic. There will also be intermittent ramp closures as crews pave by the ramps.

Beginning Monday, May 10, (or when the paving on Highway 153 South is complete) Upon completion of southbound paving, the contractor will begin working on the ramp tie-ins throughout the project. They will begin at the Lee Highway interchange on Highway 153 North and work northward throughout the project. Upon completion of the north side, the contractor will begin with the Amnicola Highway interchange ramps at the north end of Highway 153 South and work southward toward I-75.

Milling crews will mill the ramps during the evening hours, and the paving crews will pave during the day beginning at 8:30 a.m. on week days and at 7 a.m. on weekend days. The ramps will be closed during milling and paving. To lessen the inconvenience of the ramp closures, no two consecutive ramps will be closed at the same time.

The contractor may work on two ramps at a time, but the work will be done at alternate ramps throughout the job. (ex: The Lee Highway ramp and the Shallowford Road ramp will be worked on simultaneously; the Shepherd Road and the Jersey Pike ramps will be open. Upon completion of the Lee Highway and Shallowford Road ramps, the contractor will reopen them and work at the Shepherd Road and Jersey Pike ramps.)
Motorists who must travel through the Highway 153 construction area are asked to stay alert for changing traffic conditions, watch for workers in the roadway, and be prepared to stop. Should unforeseen circumstances or weather prevent any of this work from being performed, it will be rescheduled to take place as soon as possible.

SR-319 (Hixson Pike) from Masters Road to Hideaway Lane The contractor continues paving on this project. Flaggers will be in the area, and at times traffic will have to be temporarily reduced to a single lane. Delays should be expected, and some motorist may wish to seek an alternate route. Motorists who must travel through this project should use caution and be alert to changing work zone conditions.

SR-319 (Hixson Pike) from Hideaway Lane to Dallas Hollow Road
The contractor continues paving on this project. Flaggers will be in the area, and at times traffic will have to be temporarily reduced to a single lane. The contractor will be making grade modifications to the intersection of Crabtree Road and Hixson Pike (SR 319). This will require the temporary closure of Crabtree Road at Hixson Pike.

Traffic will not be allowed to enter or exit at Crabtree Road from Hixson Pike beginning on Wednesday, May 5, and ending by Friday, May 14. We realize and regret the inconvenience this will cause to drivers in the Hixson area. The contractor has assured TDOT that he will make every effort to expedite the grade modification. Detours will be posted, but motorists familiar with this area may want to find an alternate route.

Motorists who must travel through this project should use caution and be alert to changing work zone conditions.

US-127 (SR-8, Signal Mountain Boulevard) from US-27 (SR-29) to SR-27 (Suck Creek Road)
Work continues on this widening project. Motorists should be alert to work zone conditions.

Highway 153 ramp improvement project at TVA Access Road on and off ramp Work continues on construction of the new ramps. Traffic control devices are in place and motorists should be alert to changing traffic conditions. Work should be completed by July, 2004.