NEWPORT, Tenn.—Officials from Newport and Cocke County gathered to break ground on the Newport Bypass Project, a road connecting Greeneville traffic to the west end of town, that was first proposed more than 20 years ago. They were joined by Tennessee Department of Transportation representatives and legislators.
The road will allow traffic to bypass the downtown area of Newport, with the stated intention of reducing the number of transfer trucks passing through town. The project, 4.7 miles long and involving four bridges, will link Highway 321 near St. Tide Hollow Road to US 25-70 near Thinwood Drive.
Cocke County Mayor Crystal Ottinger and Mayor of Newport, Roland Dykes, III were joined by Sen. Steve Southerland and Rep. Jeremy Faison, speaking before an audience of 32 people.
Southerland said the project is a major step in the improvement of Cocke County. He said in his 28 years as senator, he made several calls asking when the project would begin.
“Cocke County is a diamond in the rough. It needs a little bit of polishing,” he said. “In the next five years, you’re going to be seeing a big change in Cocke County.”
Rep. Faison said he loves working with Charles Blalock and Sons Inc. of Sevierville, the contractor for the project, because of their effectiveness and efficiency. He said the project is a wholesome use of government money, praising the combined efforts of business, government and the community.
“Politically I’m very conservative,” Faison said. “I believe in a very limited government. That’s who I am politically, but I will say this: Part of a right and good, wholesome role of government is to build infrastructure.”
He said he is excited about the coming change for commuters.
“If you happen to live in Parrottsville, and you’re trying to get to town, and it’s busy—holy smokes, how bad—I mean, you’re all the way up to Old Town, have you seen the line of cars, all the way up to Old Town?” he asked. “This right here is going to completely resolve that. What a great day for Newport and Cocke County.”
Mayor Dykes, who said he was born and raised in Newport, has heard about the project for nearly his entire life, and is excited about new opportunities for economic development and anticipated housing developments.
“I think it’s going to open up a lot of opportunities down our 25 W corridor, it’s going to open up a lot of opportunities for economic development along this route, and throughout the city and the county,” he said. “Of course, it’s going to relieve a lot of the issues we have going on through our downtown.”
Mayor Ottinger thanked everyone who came together to bring the project underway.
“We’re finally at a point where the perseverance is finally paying off,” she said. “Seeing regional support for this project, going to the RPO meetings and having other counties who have their own projects see the need and importance of a project and vote for your project over their own, you just can’t imagine what that means to a community.”
The project, costing $63.2 million, is divided into two sections. The first 2.4-mile section, according to documents published by TDOT, will be four lanes with a center turn lane, plus 12-foot shoulders. This section extends to the east from US 70 to Rankin Road.
The second section extends for about 2.3 miles, from Rankin Road to the south of St. Tide Hollow Road.
“This will include two 12-foot travel lanes, one in each direction, with 12-foot shoulders on a four-lane divided right of way,” a TDOT press released stated.
TDOT Community Relations Officer Mark Nagi stated in an email that setting of signage for the project has begun, and – weather permitting – work will begin immediately afterward.
Nagi said the project has an expected completion date of June 30, 2025.
This story appeared in The Newport Plain Talk.