Corridor K plan scrapped, TDOT says

The long-planned, $1.5 billion four-lane highway through the Ocoee Gorge called Corridor K is now completely off the drawing board, according to Tennessee Department of Transportation officials.

"We're starting all over again," said Wes Hughen, project director with the state Department of Transportation. "Everything's possible, and any suggestion will be considered."

US Highway 64/Corridor K is a route on the Appalachian Development Highway System envisioned in the 1960s by the Appalachian Regional Commission. The aim was to spur economic development between Chattanooga and Cleveland, Tenn., on the west and Asheville, N.C., on the east.

But proposals over the years to widen U.S. Highway 64 through the Ocoee Gorge ran up against environmental and cost concerns. Now TDOT officials, who must pay 20 percent of the final cost of the project if it goes forward, are scheduling new meetings to get input from residents, tourism businesses and other stakeholders before beginning a new environmental impact statement and plan.

"The last time we did not have the stakeholder involvement we should have had. And we didn't have input from TVA and TDEC (the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation)," he said.

Two of those meetings were held last week. More than 100 people attended each one, TDOT spokeswoman Jennifer Flynn said.

She said most people told highway officials they just want a safer and quicker route for tourists and commercial traffic between Cleveland and Copperhill, Tenn.

Most of the trucks are carrying goods to Copperhill, studies have shown.

Mr. Hughen said more meetings will be held later this year and in March 2010.

One group strongly opposing the four-lane approach, WaysSouth, is headed by Holly Demuth.

Ms. Demuth said the corridor highway plans of the 1960s were intended to address poverty in the Appalachians. She said planners now should be looking at developing strategies more relevant to 2010.

"Our best hope is that the current road through the gorge can be improved and made safer," she said.

Ms. Demuth said a 2006 safety report included recommendations such as well-marked turnouts to give tourists and sightseers along the scenic route more opportunities to get off the road and gawk.

There's been talk of a greenway for sightseers just off the road, so people wouldn't have to walk on the roadside as they do now, she said.

"We think there could be some different creative solutions that don't involve creating a whole different road (to accommodate) truck traffic," she said.