Netherland Inn Bridge Update 3/3/03


	Looking down from the aerial view at the top left, the problematic intersection is noted in the light blue box where the new Netherland Inn road and existing Rotherwood Drive intersect. The inset picture in the lower right provides a current view of the entrance-way of Rotherwood Drive (looking north) with the proposed re-location of the in-bound and out-bound lanes of Rotherwood Drive. TDOT has proposed to lower these lanes to the height of pink line in order to allow a gradual and safe approach to the intersection at Netherland Inn Road. (It is important to note that the final elevation of the re-located lanes has not been determined by TDOT yet so this image is for conceptual purposes only and does not necessarily represent the final height of the road.)

	TDOT engineers report that in their design the two lanes of Rotherwood Drive had to be moved as far as possible on the down-hill side in order to minimize the amount of excavation that will be required to lower Rotherwood Drive to an acceptable height to safely intersect with Netherland Inn Road. This would eliminate the grassy median between the two lanes but the TDOT engineers noted that the project would include an appropriate amount of landscaping in the abandoned portions of the existing right of way as compensation for whatever is taken by the re-located lanes.

	TDOT has advised the City that the re-grading and re-location of Rotherwood Drive would add approximately $800,000 to the overall costs of the bridge project of which 20% or $160,000 would be the Citys share. TDOT engineers noted that with only one entrance into and out of the Rotherwood neighborhood the re-location of the lanes would be a construction challenge since ingress and egress would have to be maintained at all times.

	Given the extent of the neighborhood impacts and the additional costs to the project resulting from the re-grading of Rotherwood Drive, the City of Kingsport has retained the services of a professional bridge engineering firm to try to re-work the bridge and roadway elevations so that Rotherwood Drive would not be impacted and would not have to be changed. This re-engineering work is underway and new roadway profiles are being developed for presentation to TDOT in Spring 2003. TDOT has been advised of the Citys efforts to re-work the plans and they have invited the Citys input.