City, TDOT enter into water, sewer line contract
By Gary B. GrayPress Staff Writer
ggray@johnsoncitypress.com
Johnson City has entered into a contract with the Tennessee Department of Transportation for the relocation and upgrade of a portion of city owned water and sewer lines that will be replaced when the Tenn. Highway 75 road-widening project begins this spring.
The TDOT project stretches along Tenn. Highway 75 from Tenn. Highway 36 to the Tri-Cities Regional Airport (Tenn. Highway 357). The state is responsible for the costs of replacing the lines, but they are not liable for any improvements made to those lines. But the City Commission last week voted to pay more than $125,000 for line upgrades.
“It will create a better ability to meet the area’s growth demands and better water flow that will improve fire protection,” said Tom Witherspoon, Johnson City water and sewer director. “When it is done, there will be a four-lane road from Gray to the airport.”
Witherspoon said the city has heard from the state that it plans to begin the road project in early spring but there may be delays if the proper funding doesn’t fall in place.
The contract provides that TDOT replace the existing six-inch water line with a 12-inch line and the existing 12-inch sewer line with a 16-inch line.
The overall project includes construction of a new bridge of the Holston River, which is about 50 percent complete. However, the road widening and utility replacement will be handled by another contractor and has been broken out as a separate project.
Witherspoon also said the process of projects such as this has been streamlined over the past few years.
“It used to be that each utility or local government involved had to hire contractors to conduct work in their jurisdictions,” he said. “Now, the benefit to the state is that a single contractor will do all the line replacements. In the end, it saves money and is more efficient.”
Under the contract with the state, the city will pay $25,000 up front to the Tennessee Valley Authority to acquire new easement. TDOT will then reimburse the city for that cost.