State Rep. Bill Dunn has shared this letter from Steve Borden, director for TDOT Region 1:
As requested, the Norris Freeway portion of the project also including State Route 33 (Maynardville Highway) portion has been completed through resurfacing. The contractor still lacks the grinding and grooving required of the bridge deck and painting of the parapet rails along the bridge. In addition, minor grading, seeding & sod, and general cleanup remain along the project. All work is expected to be complete by July 2017.
The project began construction in February 2015 and was originally scheduled for an August 2016 completion date. TDOT agreed to add 48 days for a short time extension due to some changes in grades experienced early on during bridge construction which moved the completion date to November 2016. Since November, the contractor has been accruing liquidated damages and appears the total could be as much as $350,000.
In addition, for your information, our office has been fielding several complaints regarding the signals along this corridor. TDOT installed the timing for the signals along the project as instructed by the county, however, the timing of the signals has been less than desirable. Staff have been working with the county to ensure that the timing is improved along the corridor in the near future.
The project from Temple Acres to the Union County line is scheduled to be complete by July 31, 2017. The contractor is currently working on paving and should continue paving operations until complete. The project is still proving to be on schedule. In reviewing the remaining items of work, TDOT Operations staff realized that the markings that were included for this roadway were less than desirable. In order to improve safety of the roadway once complete, TDOT has informed the contractor to upgrade the striping items from a 4-inch marking to a 6-inch marking and add snow-plowable markers throughout the project to increase visibility of the lanes when driving at night and during adverse weather conditions. Due to this addition, the roadway should not be delayed in opening to traffic, however, the additional markers may require a few extra weeks to be completed.
There is a section between the two projects (in front of the Hardee’s) that was not a part of either project initially. TDOT plans to have that portion of the roadway paved in conjunction of the completion of the adjacent pavement sections.