The City of Alcoa Public Works and Engineering Department will be overseeing construction of the raw waterline and met with Morgan this week to iron out details of the project.

In an effort to avoid conflicts with the Blount County Schools schedule, the work will begin along Martin Mill Pike. The work will require a portion of Martin Mill Pike to be closed during installation of the pipe under the east bound lane. Due to the narrow width of the road and working area needed for the equipment it was felt that trying to allow intermittent traffic through would greatly disrupt progress and lengthy traffic delays would still occur. To excavate the trench and move the pipe from its’ current location will require the entire width of the road. The pipe is currently behind the guard rail along the river and will be lifted into place in 100-foot lengths weighing approximately 10,000 pounds per length.

The work is expected to begin July 14th and be completed in two weeks with the road reopened on weekends. Alternate routes have been located to accommodate local and extended traffic flow. Local and northbound Old Knoxville Highway traffic are encouraged to take a detour on Hollybrook Road and Self Hollow Road. Traffic from Nails Creek Road and Seymour are encouraged to take an alternate route to Wildwood Road to Sam Houston School Road back to Old Knoxville Highway at Popes Nursery. The alternate route provides quicker access to Pellissippi Parkway, Hunt Road and Alcoa Highway.

Efforts will be made to complete the work as quickly as possible and before the new school year begins. We are sensitive to many in the area who depend on Martin Mill Pike to commute to their daily destinations and ask for their patience through this project. Once the pipe and trench repair work is completed, the entire section of road where the work takes place will be repaved and re-striped.