State Route 162 (Pellissippi Parkway) Extension
Blount County
The project consists of developing a new controlled-access four-lane highway with a concrete median barrier wall, and grade separated interchanges. The purpose of the project is to improve safety and mobility while the parkway extension is designed to support community and growth management goals and minimize adverse impacts to neighborhoods and businesses, farmlands, and the natural and cultural environment.
Currently, the roadway has several deficiencies. The transportation needs include: limited mobility options in Blount County and Maryville due to the primarily radial roadway network that now exists; poor local road network with substandard cross sections; lack of northwest/east connection of Alcoa and Maryville; safety issues on roadways in the area; and traffic congestion and poor levels of service on the major arterial roads in the study area (US 129, SR 33, US 411 and US 321).
The purpose of the project is to improve safety and mobility. The primary benefits include:
· Enhance regional transportation system linkages.
· Improve circumferential mobility by providing travel options to the existing radial roadway network in Blount County, Maryville, and Alcoa.
· Improve roadway safety on the existing roadway network, including the Maryville core.
· Achieve acceptable traffic flows (level of service) on the transportation network or not adversely affect traffic flows on the existing network.
Additionally, the parkway extension is designed to support community and growth management goals and minimize adverse impacts to neighborhoods and businesses, farmlands, and the natural and cultural environment.
Estimated construction start: TBD
Estimated completion*: TBD
Funding Type: The proposed project will be constructed in part with federal funding.
History and Background
Various construction options, or Build Alternatives, were studied regarding the proposed Pellissippi Parkway Extension. The primary goal of selecting a Build Alternative is to avoid or minimize socio-economic and natural environment impacts to the greatest possible extent. In 2012, a Preferred Alternative was selected.
Public Involvement and Engagement
The proposed project would be constructed in part with federal funding and is, therefore, subject to the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). An Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) has been prepared to meet NEPA requirements. The Record of Decision (ROD) for the proposed project was signed by FHWA on August 31, 2017, and is available in the Library section of this project. An in-person Public Design Meeting was held on Tuesday, September 21, 2021, at Heritage High School in Blount County. The purpose of the meeting was to provide the public an opportunity to view the proposed design and provide comments.
Design Meeting Display 1 (PDF)
Design Meeting Display 2 (PDF)
Design Meeting Handout (PDF)
Video: Pellissippi Parkway Extension Design Public Meeting - September 21, 2021.
In-Person Public Meeting Comments and Responses (PDF)
A Virtual Public Design Meeting was held between April 15 and April 29, 2021. The meeting was opened to the public at 8:00 am EST Thursday, April 15, and closed at 10:00 pm EST Thursday, April 29, 2021. The purpose of the meeting was to provide the public an opportunity to view the proposed design and provide feedback.
Design Meeting Display 2021 (PDF)
Design Meeting Handout 2021 (PDF)
Design Meeting Video Flythrough 2021 (mp4)
Virtual Public Meeting Comments and Responses (PDF)
A Community Briefing was held on May 30, 2013, at the Rio Revolution Church in Maryville, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. TDOT shared information regarding potential shifts in the previously selected Preferred Alternative (Alternative A, among others evaluated in the DEIS) near the southern portion. A shift is necessary to avoid an identified environmentally sensitive area.
Community Briefing Summary Report (pdf)
Community Briefing Announcement (English and Spanish). (pdf)
Community Briefing Notice Postcard
Community Briefing Presentation (English) (PowerPoint)
Community Briefing Presentation (Spanish) (PowerPoint)
Community Briefing Handing (English) (pdf)
Community Briefing Handout (Spanish) (pdf)
Community Briefing Comment Form (pdf)
Community Briefing FAQs (pdf)
Community Briefing Map Display (pdf)
A Public Hearing to discuss the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) was held on July 20, 2010, at Heritage High School in Maryville, Tennessee.
Public Hearing Presentation 072010 (pdf)
Public Hearing Handout 072010 (pdf)
Public Hearing Transcript 072010 (pdf)
Public Hearing Comments (large pdf, 46 MB) - comment period ended August 30, 2010
A copy of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) can be downloaded here or viewed at any one of the following locations.
Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) (pdf)
Blount County Public Library. 508 N. Cusick Street, Maryville, TN 37804
Blount County Chamber of Commerce. 201 S. Washington Street, Maryville, TN 37804
TDOT Region 1. 7345 Region Lane, Knoxville, TN 37914
A Public Information Meeting was held on February 19, 2008, at Heritage High School in Maryville, Tennessee.
Public Meeting Presentation 021908 (pdf)
Public Meeting Handout 021908 (pdf)
Preliminary Alternative Corridor Map 021908 (pdf)
A Public Alternatives Workshop was held on October 25, 2007, in Maryville, Tennessee.
Public Alternatives Workshop Presentation 102507 (pdf)
Public Alternatives Workshop Handout 102507 (pdf)
Preliminary Alternative Corridor Map 102507 (pdf)
A Coordination Plan for Agency and Public Involvement for the Pellissippi Parkway Extension is listed below:
Coordination Plan for Agency and Public Involvement (PDF)
Two Public Scoping Meetings were held on June 13, 2006, at Eagleton Elementary School and Heritage High School in Blount County. The two meetings shared the same format and information. TDOT representatives were on hand to answer questions concerning the project. The official transcripts of the meeting are below.
Pellissippi Scoping Comments for April 25, 2006 through July 5, 2006 (pdf)
These comments do not represent the entirety of public comments received on this project. Comment Forms submitted between June 13, 2006, and July 5, 2006, are retained as public record at the TDOT Community Relations Office, James K. Polk Building, 505 Deaderick Street, Suite 700, Nashville, Tennessee. Hard copies of these documents are also available for viewing at the Blount County Chamber of Commerce.
Environment
Following the selection of the Preferred Alternative in 2012, the Phase II archaeological investigations revealed one site that has been determined to be eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. Since the Preferred Alternative had already been analyzed and selected over the other Build Alternatives, TDOT focused on identifying potential avoidance options via minor alignment shifts in the vicinity of the sensitive portion of the eligible archaeology site, rather than major shifts of the alignment.
On July 29, 2013, TDOT announced the west alignment shift at the southern end of the project had been selected to modify the Preferred Alternative. In making the determination of the alignment shift, TDOT considered the amount and type of impacts of each shift and the potential to mitigate adverse effects. TDOT also considered public input received during the May 30th Community Briefing and the associated comment period.
TDOT and FHWA have determined through an environmental justice (EJ) analysis that these impacts would not change the finding of the approved Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS), and that the project would have no disproportionately high and adverse impacts to minority and low-income populations compared with the rest of the corridor, pursuant to Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act and Executive Order 12898.
NOTE: Build Alternatives (including alignments) are conceptual during the required National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) evaluation process, and these conceptual plans are subject to change. A Preferred Alternative concept in the Environmental Phase of a project is not yet a final design. Once detailed engineering plans are prepared and field surveys are conducted, TDOT will be able to determine right-of-way limits, edges of pavement, location of shoulders, as well as curb and gutter and sidewalk widths for those areas in which it is proposed. Until the final design plans are prepared, it is not possible to know specifically how a particular property and property owner will be impacted by the project.
See additional environmental documents below.
Approved FEIS 2015
Appendix A - E
Appendix F
Appendix G - J
Appendix K - L
Appendix M - N
Attachments A - I
Approved Reevaluation of DEIS 2014
Appendix A - TIP & LRTP Page
Appendix B- Public and Agency Comments Since DEIS
Appendix C-Traffic & Safety Reports, 2011-2014
Appendix D - CSRP 2014
Appendix E -Environmental Justice Analysis
Appendix F- Additional Farmland Coordination
Appendix G- Cultural Resources Coordination
Appendix H - Air Quality Tech Report Update 2014
Appendix I - Noise Technical Report, June 2014
Appendix J- Phase II Preliminary Site Investigation
Appendix K- Ecology Reports, 2012-2014
Appendix L - Website Materials Cited
Approved DEIS 2010
Addendum to the Traffic Operations Technical Report 2011
Preliminary Geological Report 2010
Traffic Forecast Report 2007
Traffic Operations Report 2008
Crash Analysis Report Update 2009
Community Impacts Assessment 2009
Economic Impacts Analysis 2009
Air Quality Report 2010
Noise Report_2009
Historic Report_2009
Ecology Report 2010
Phase 1 Haz Mat Assessment 2008
Indirect Cumulative Analysis_2009
A Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) was published in the Federal Register on April 25, 2006.
Key Project Milestones
Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) Prepared |
Spring/Summer 2009 |
DEIS Approved |
April 14, 2010 |
Preferred Alternative Selected |
June 2012 |
Preferred Alternative Modified (west alignment shift) |
July 2013 |
Reevaluation of Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) Approved |
July 17, 2014 |
FEIS Approved |
September 10, 2015 |
FEIS Notice of Availability Published |
September 18, 2015 |
FEIS Public Review Period |
September - November 2015 |
FEIS Response to Public Review |
November 2015 - Spring/Summer 2017 |
Record of Decision (ROD) Issued |
August 31, 2017 |
Field Survey |
April - August 2018 |
Preliminary Design Began |
September 2018 |
Design Public Meetings (virtual) |
April 15-29, 2021 |
Design Public Meeting (in-person) |
September 21, 2021 |
Updated Displays and Comments Posted from Virtual and In-person Design Public Meetings |
September 22, 2022 |
Project Materials
Past Project Newsletters:
Newsletter Issue 2 June 2012 (PDF)
Newsletter Issue 1 Sept 2008 (PDF)
Project Contacts
Mark Nagi
TDOT Region 1 Community Relations Officer (media)
Phone: 865.594.0161
Email: Mark.Nagi@tn.gov
Project email address: TDOT.Comments@tn.gov.
*Subject to change