US 64 / Corridor K
Project Overview
- •The project schedule has been updated to allow for additional fieldwork and coordination activities. The next public meetings will be held this fall.
- •The Citizens Resource Team met in November to discuss recent fieldwork, stakeholder activities, refinements to the study alternatives, and more. View the meeting materials.
- •View the results of the Economics and Business surveys.
- • View our latest project newsletter to learn more about the six alternatives recommended for further study.
Welcome to the Tennessee Department of Transportation’s official Corridor K /US 64 website. US 64/Corridor K is a route on the Appalachian Development Highway System which starts at I-75 near Cleveland, Tennessee and ends near Dillsboro, North Carolina. The portion of Corridor K lying within the study area is part of the Ocoee Scenic Byway, which was designated as the nation’s first National Forest Scenic Byway. It is also a Tennessee Scenic Parkway.
In the study area, US 64/Corridor K has numerous transportation problems, including roadway deficiencies (e.g., lack of shoulders and guardrails, susceptibility to rockslides) and safety issues (e.g., inadequate sight distance, sharp curves). The proposed project is needed to address these issues and ensure a safe, reliable, and efficient east-west transportation route from just west of the Ocoee River to SR 68 near Ducktown.
Current Activity
The project is currently in the environmental study phase. An Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is being prepared in accordance with federal requirements. The EIS will provide comprehensive information about the purpose and need for the project, proposed plans, and potential environmental, social, and economic effects.
Six alternatives were presented at the public meetings in Spring 2011 for further analysis in the EIS. These alternatives are being refined as new information is obtained and stakeholder input is considered.
The Draft EIS is scheduled to be available for review in Summer 2013 (view Schedule).
Stakeholder Involvement Update
This past fall and winter, the project team has been meeting with local officials, representatives of environmental, economic and utility groups, the Citizens Resource Team, and resource agencies to provide updates on the project and obtain input.
A newsletter will be published this summer to provide more information on recent activities. The newsletter will be distributed to the project mailing list and posted to the Library page.
Public meetings will be held this fall to discuss fieldwork results, refinements to proposed alternatives, and potential impacts of the project.
Stay tuned for more information!
Fieldwork and Data Collection Update
The project team has conducted research and field trips to the project area to collect information on a variety of topics, including community facilities and services, economics, parks and recreational amenities, scenic views, plants, wildlife, geology, soils, and water resources (i.e., streams, lakes, wetlands). The study of cultural resources (identifying historic properties and archaeological sites), traffic analysis, and air quality analysis will occur in 2012.
Since Spring 2011, TDOT has:
- documented community facilities and services
- identified viewsheds, viewpoints, overlooks and scenic areas
- documented parks and recreational amenities
- conducted studies on bats, pine snakes, crayfish, and aquatic and terrestrial snails
- documented the location of over 100 water bodies (e.g., rivers, lakes, streams, wetlands)
- collected water samples to study existing water quality
- identified over 500 species of plants
All of this information will be used to analyze potential alternatives in more detail. Fieldwork results will be shared at the public meetings this fall and will be summarized in the Draft EIS.
Quick links
- Project Library: View project documents, maps, newsletters, fact sheets, and other related resources.
- Project Timeline: Learn about the key project milestones and schedule.
- Contact Us: Join the project mailing list and/or submit comments.
Corridor K Project Map
Click image to view an enlarged project map. (pdf)
