The Corridor K project through the Ocoee gorge is once again entering the Environmental Impact/Design phase. The Tennessee Department of Transportation is currently in the process of selecting the firm that will do this work.

For the 2.6 miles of Hwy. 64 from Hwy. 411 to west of the Ocoee River, the project is due to be let to contract some time in the late spring of this year.

The unpopular and expensive Draft Environmental Impact Statement for a route through the gorge that was issued in 2003 has been scrapped. In August 2005, all three design contracts with consultants were cancelled and design work was stopped. TDOT, the Appalachian Regional Commission and the Southeast Tennessee Development District then partnered to fund a consultant for an Economic Development and Transportation Study on the purpose and need for the project.

Wilbur Smith & Associates held meetings and did studies throughout 2007, including “Green Plan” meetings to emphasize that any new highway project would have to be sensitive to the local environment. The study was submitted to area officials on Nov. 28. A key finding was that businesses throughout the region were hampered by the lack of a safe and reliable east-west corridor, especially since a growing number of companies are entering the global marketplace and need good access to ports on the East Coast.

Throughout the process, TDOT officials stressed that the previous design is no longer on the table and they encouraged consultants and the public to think “outside the box” when it comes time to find a new route.

On Dec. 9, TDOT began seeking letters of interest for a consultant to handle preparation of the Transportation Planning Report and Draft Environmental Impact Statement, as well as implementation of a Context Sensitive Solution Design for Corridor K. There were 17 firms submitting a letter of interest by the Dec. 20 deadline. They will be submitting qualifications to perform the required services. The firm should be selected in 4-6 months.

The plan will cover Hwy. 64 from west of the Ocoee River to Hwy. 68 near Ducktown. The Transportation Planning Report is to include the project’s history, community characteristics, existing transportation conditions, and preliminary alternatives. The environmental document will include ecological surveys, cultural resource surveys, technical surveys and other reports required by state and federal agencies.

The Context Sensitive Solutions/Design portion will include functional design development, resource team selection, and a public involvement program.