Alcoa Highway: SR-115 (US-129) - Knox and Blount Counties
Project History
In 1989, the Tennessee Department of
Transportation (TDOT) prepared a feasibility study for improvements to
State Route 115 (US. 129/Alcoa Highway) between State Route 35 and the
Cherokee Trail Interchange. After the study was completed in 1989, the
City of Alcoa retained a consultant to review it, and to make
recommendations with regard to the Blount County portion. The
Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority was also involved in this
process. The Knoxville/Knox County MPO also retained a consultant to
review the study, and to make recommendations with regard to the Knox
County portion.
The resulting functional design developed by consultants for the City
of Alcoa and the Knoxville/Knox County MPO incorporates the following
significant features:
- No left turns and no median cuts on main line
- No signals on main line (for 20-year study period)
- One-way frontage roads where warranted
- Three lanes of through traffic in each direction on main line
- Liberal use of right-in and right-out turns
- Moderate use of interchanges and crossovers
- Knox County – four new grade separations
- Blount County – six new grade separations
This plan was presented to TDOT in 1993.
