After two years of construction, Phase 1 of the Hwy. 66 Improvement Project is nearing completion.
Phase 1 of the three phase project, which stretches from Boyd’s Creek Hwy. to Sevierville, began in July of 2009, and motorists would be hard pressed not to notice the recent progress on the project.
The completion date for the phase is Nov. 30 of this year, according to Jennifer Stone, a senior engineer for MACTEC Engineering and Construction, and the project is on schedule.
“We have about five more months to really crank out that job and get it finished,” Stone said. “It is coming together really fast.
“It just takes a while to get everything right on grade, get the curb lines built, and get the paving in place. The first of the paving on the inside lanes will hopefully begin next week.”
So far in Phase 1, contractor Charles Blalock and Sons has built two new lanes (one additional lane on each side of the Hwy.), have built storm drains, curbing gutters and sidewalks. Contractors have also completed the relocation of electric, water and gas lines, as well as the relocation of some sewer sections.
“Ultimately we will have three through-lanes in each direction of the highway, a full foot-wide shoulder, sidewalks and a raised median,” Stone said.
Previously the only sidewalks on this stretch of road were in front of Sevierville Commons.
Stone said that the project is slightly ahead of schedule at this point, but in the terms of the contract Blalock has until Nov. 30 to complete the phase.
With Phase 1 nearly complete, attention now turns to the two additional phases of the project which covers an eight mile-stretch of road in total.
Phase 2, which is north of Phase 1 and stretches from 1-40 to Douglas Dam Rd., began in 2010 and is scheduled for completion in November 2012.
The only phase of the project that has not began, Phase 3, will stretch from Douglas Dam Rd. to Boyd’s Hwy. and is in the Fiscal Year 2012 budget.
Officials say that this phase could be let this winter, which means construction could begin as soon as January, although nothing is confirmed. It is estimated this portion of the project will take about three years.
“The project was broken up into three phases for funding reasons,” Stone said. “It is a big undertaking to do eight miles of highway widening, especially with a bridge involved.
“Both of the current phases are making good progress and are expected to be done on schedule.”

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