Tennessee Department of Transportation officials joined state and local officials in Anderson County April 4 to break ground on a new State Route 95 widening project.
The 4-mi. (6.4 km) project, being completed by Rogers Group of Oak Ridge, Tenn., stretches from Westover Drive in Roane County to Illinois Avenue (SR 62) in Oak Ridge. Once finished, the project will provide a number of improvements to this busy stretch of roadway.
“State Route 95 is an important route for people traveling from Roane County north to Oak Ridge,” said TDOT Commissioner Gerald Nicely. “This project will improve capacity and safety for motorists and includes the addition of bike lanes and sidewalks to the roadway.”
Rep. Jim Hackworth, Sen. Randy McNally, Rep. Dennis Ferguson and Sen. Tommy Kilby, who were instrumental in the development of this project, joined Nicely at the groundbreaking.
“Improvements to this route have long been a priority of mine,” Hackworth said. “We look forward to the completion of the State Route 95 widening project and the congestion relief it will provide this area.”
The $26 million project includes widening the roadway to four lanes, the addition of two 6-ft. bicycle lanes, two 5-ft. sidewalks and a raised grass median along the center of the roadway. The project also will provide turn lanes and median openings at appropriate locations.
Ferguson said, “The widening of this roadway will not only help motorists with traffic relief, it will also provide a safer atmosphere for residents who wish to bike and walk in the area.”
Existing access points and a minimum of two lanes of traffic will be maintained throughout construction on the project. Improvements to SR 95 are being constructed within existing right of way.
