Utility Upgrades near Kingston Fossil Plant Will Affect Local Traffic

June 24, 2010

HARRIMAN, Tenn. – A portion of Swan Pond Road near Kingston Fossil Plant in Roane County, Tenn., will be closed weekdays from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. EDT for about three weeks beginning Tuesday, July 6.

The closure is needed to complete utility restoration along two-tenths of a mile on Swan Pond Road between north and south Swan Pond Circle Road near Swan Pond United Methodist Church.

This restoration is part of extensive work by a TVA contractor to replace city of Kingston and Harriman Utility Board water, gas and sewer lines that were disrupted by the Kingston ash spill in December 2008. TVA also is providing utility upgrades that will benefit residents who previously may not have had service.

During the closure, area motorists will need to detour from Swan Pond Circle Road north along Hassler Mill Road or take Swan Pond Circle Road south to Swan Pond Road to reach local destinations.

To minimize inconvenience to motorists, the closed section of Swan Pond Road will be reopened nights and weekends. Any disturbed pavement will be covered with thick metal plates for safety.

Before the work begins, the Kingston Ash Recovery Project will stockpile rock and stone so that truck traffic from nearby quarries will be minimized while utility construction is under way.

TVA studied the possibility of closing only one lane of Swan Pond Road, however the narrowness of the road and the resulting reduction in workspace would at least triple the time needed to complete the work and might still require some closures of both lanes.

A map of the Swan Pond Road closure is located at: http://www.tva.com/kingston/108_Swan_Pond_Rd_Closure.pdf

The Tennessee Valley Authority, a corporation owned by the U.S. government, provides electricity for 9 million people in parts of seven southeastern states at prices below the national average. TVA, which receives no taxpayer money and makes no profits, also provides flood control, navigation and land management for the Tennessee River system and assists utilities and state and local governments with economic development.

Media Contact

Barbara Martocci, Knoxville, (865) 632-8632
Media Relations, Knoxville (865) 632-6000
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