A group of citizens is among those playing a role in planning for Corridor K. The Tennessee Department of Transportation is using a Context Sensitive Solutions approach with this project, which includes recommendations from the public as the project is developed rather than after the engineering work is complete as well as emphasis on sensitivity to the local environment.

Shortly after URS was chosen to create the Transportation Planning Report and Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the project, plans were put in place to select a Citizen’s Resource Team. Planning Communities LLC, a subcontractor to URS, is a consultant for the citizen group.

Recommendations for the group came from elected officials from Polk and Bradley counties, the chambers of commerce, Development District, school system, environmental groups and other interested parties. Initial interviews were conducted with around 40-50 citizens who were recommended, followed by face-to-face interviews to select the final 15-member team. Ann Steedly with Planning Communities said the goal was to screen members for project interests, openness to the team process and geographic diversity, as well as to create a team with representation from all interested groups, from commuters and truckers to environmentalists and the recreation industry.

Team members are Janice Cheek, Jan Bigham Beck, Keith Dilbeck, Larry Dunn, Sandra Goss, Jerry Hamby, Eugene Kilgore, Denny Mobbs, Jim Monfort, Cindy Moss, Betty Petty, L.W. Smith, Tom Tohill, Chris White, and Lance Luke. There have been two all-day meetings of the group so far.

In February, Doug Delaney with TDOT summarized the long history of Corridor K from the 1960s when it was first included on the Appalachian Regional Commission’s proposed highway system to the present, emphasizing that the project is starting fresh. Steedly asked the team members to think about what community, transportation, environmental and economic values should guide the studies and plans for Corridor K. Members felt a successful outcome would be meeting needs without serious environmental damage, improved safety, economic growth, preservation of cultural resources and natural beauty, and unification of the county.

At the second meeting in April, Beth Jones with the Southeast Tennessee Development District presented the Economic/Transportation Study conducted by Wilbur Smith and Associates, which concluded that an improved highway would help the business climate by providing access to Eastern seaports as well as improved local transportation and safety. The study also showed the transportation needs of tourists differ from those of tourists and tourism is limited by safe connections. The study noted that four state are affected by Corridor K, a key east-west route.

Team members also learned how traffic studies are done, elements of the Transportation Planning Report, and how corridor studies are conducted to evaluate potential affects to various resources.

During a bus tour of the highway, Ray Rucker, regional maintenance supervisor for TDOT, provided commentary on safety improvements that have been made and are planned but he also noted limitations. He noted that the 15 mph Mundix Bluff curve is constructed on built-up rock, which could be affected by blasting to widen the roadway. Blasting could also expose acidic rock. He said there are other numerous other areas where unstable rock could create problems. On the return trip, Laura Lewis, biologist with the Forest Service, spoke about the plants, wildlife, and recreation amenities in the Ocoee gorge and Jerry Hamby talked about the history of the area.

Team members were introduced to a software program that will generate potential alternatives and calculate environmental impacts and cost estimates.

Homework assignments have been given to help develop evaluation criteria for the project based on the key values identified. The criteria are to be measurable variables that could be applied to different project alternatives.