The Tennessee Department of Transportation continues to make progress on the Highway 27 construction project slated to be complete October 2014.
Recent developments affecting drivers include the temporary closure until spring 2013 of the Manufacturers Road entrance ramp onto U.S. 27 North. The purpose of the ramp closure is to allow for the construction of several retaining walls and portions of the new bridges over the railroad and Manning Street.
TDOT decided to permanently close the Whitehall Road exit ramp from U.S. 27 North eight months ahead of schedule, said Jennifer Flynn, regional communications officer for TDOT. The construction of a new parking garage at The Pinnacle apartment building requiring residents to use the back entrance near the ramp caused safety concerns for the building owner, who requested the ramp be closed early.
“We agreed it would be a safety concern, and at their request we agreed to close it several months early,” said Flynn.
Joan Smith, a resident of the Woodland Heights neighborhood for 70 years, said she regularly traveled home from work using the Whitehall Road exit.