The City of Alcoa Public Works and Engineering Department announced today that construction of improvements to the Alcoa Highway / Wright Road intersection is scheduled to begin the week of August 16, 2010. Volunteer Excavating, contractor for the City of Alcoa, will be performing the work. The intersection improvements will include:

• Closure of the existing median that provided access to the former Farrport IGA site (west side of highway).
• Construction of a southbound deceleration / left turn lane to provide access for commercial development east of the highway and south of the intersection.
• Extension of the southbound deceleration / left turn lane for Wright Rd.
• Improvements to the northbound deceleration / right turn lane for Wright Rd.
• Construction of new islands at Wright Rd / Alcoa Hwy intersection.
• Repaving a portion of Wright Rd.
• New striping & signing.

A considerable amount of the improvements will be constructed during evening and overnight hours. Any work that will require lane closures along Alcoa Highway or closure of Wright Road will be limited to the hours of 7:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. Access to the area businesses will be maintained throughout the project.

Motorists are urged to exercise caution while traveling through this work zone.