State Route 101 (Peavine Road)

Overview

Proposed improvements for State Route 101 (Peavine Road), from Firetower Road to east of Westchester Drive/Catoosa Boulevard in Fairfield Glade, Cumberland County, includes reconstruction and widening for approximately 5.6 miles. The project is designed to improve safety and mobility along the corridor.

The existing roadway is primarily two lanes. The project will widen the existing roadway to a five-lane facility, including two 12-foot travel lanes in each direction, a 12-foot dedicated center turn lane, 10- to 12-foot paved shoulders, and a variable right-of-way width of 84 to 150 feet.

Due to the length of the project, development of the proposed improvements was divided into two smaller sections or phases.

• Phase I: from Firetower Road to Lakeview Drive
• Phase II: from Lakeview Drive to Westchester/Catoosa Boulevard in Fairfield Glade

Purpose and Need

Peavine Road is the only direct route in and out of Fairfield Glade, a retirement community located on the Cumberland Plateau near Crossville, Tennessee. Average daily traffic (ADT) for the roadway is approximately 12,000 vehicles, with a projected ADT of 15,000 by 2032. The proposed improvements are intended to address congestion, improve safety, and accommodate growth in the area.

Design

Beginning at Firetower Road and extending for approximately one mile, the project design consists of four 12-foot travel lanes (two lanes in each direction), one 12-foot center turn lane, 12-foot shoulders (10-foot stabilized), and 150-foot right-of-way. 

From the end of the Firetower Road section to near Dartmore Drive/Snead Drive, the proposed design changes to a five-lane urban curb-and-gutter design. It consists of four 12-foot travel lanes (two lanes in each direction), a 12-foot center turn lane, 10-foot shoulders, 5-foot sidewalks, and right-of-way widths from 84 feet (minimum) to 150 feet (maximum).

From near Dartmore Drive/Snead Drive to the end of the project near Westchester Drive/Catoosa Boulevard, the proposed design maintains a five-lane urban curb-and-gutter design, but consists of four 12-foot travel lanes (two lanes in each direction), a 12-foot center turn lane, 5-foot sidewalks, and a right-of-way width from 84 feet (minimum) to 150 feet (maximum).

Utility Relocation

In the early 2000s, Volunteer Energy Cooperative (VEC) acquired right-of-way and easements along the Peavine Road corridor in order to install a new transmission line to meet the demands of growth in the area. In late 2010, TDOT issued right-of-way plans for the proposed improvements to the same area. During the early stages of development for the TDOT project, TDOT and VEC reviewed more than 20 alternatives for relocating the transmission line.  The preferred alignment for the relocated VEC transmission line is generally to the west, or away from the existing Peavine Road corridor. Maintaining power to the area was critical to the continued development of this project.

In spring 2016, TDOT removed the VEC relocation from the roadway improvement plans, and awarded a separate contract for the VEC relocation project in April 2016. Work is expected to continue during the additional phases of construction for the Peavine Road widening, which are forecasted to begin in spring 2017. For more information on project development, see the Timeline for this project.

Bat Study

The landscape of the project area provides a suitable summer habitat for the federally protected Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) and northern long-eared bat (Myotis septentrionalis). While the Indiana bat was not found in the area, a study revealed a northern long-eared bat habitat. Environmental assessments performed early in project development were not impacted by bat habitats, because the northern long-eared bat was not officially listed as ‘threatened’ under the Endangered Species Act by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) until April 2015.

Following the identification of the northern long-eared bat habitat, a Biological Opinion and permit were required in order to move forward with the proposed roadway improvements in coordination and compliance with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act of 1958 and the Endangered Species Act of 1973.

A Biological Opinion, issued October 19, 2015, by USFWS stated, "FHWA and TDOT shall ensure that tree removal occurs from October 15 through March 31 to ensure that reproductive activities [i.e., roost tree location, birthing, and pup-rearing] are not affected by construction activities."