Kingsport Times-News from Kingsport, Tennessee • 13

jf-n TWlnrYjt ir-i ff 1 -tv L2 tL KINGSPORT TENNESSEE 37660 SUNDAY DEC 6 1970 1 w' RE vv 'A A v' 's iv vvYy Vv sy vS: v' v- 7 iwwiwiiwwwwwiiwiiniwipipiiniwiww A N' 5 s' SV pi i 777 7W-7 I -t a 4 S''N Ny 'vTkv -V- A 'X 'v A I''-'' 5' 'v s- vW-k' '4y 5 Thats Bays Mountain on the hori- zon and thats the New Appalachian superhighway running right up to the foot of it The highway is i I JV I 0 I 'v'i WS'V jyy rf V- SW' vV rV-Vs I fif- fA: I 4: s2 Drive N7 Highway Ends Where The Mountain Begins rfwsv 'fr 7" H4 1 As" j-n -V vV 'Tv' kl rSdliff s- wmW 'A Vf'l? 1' -e? nf( sefcrwfltmaminiii ti jti 7 Kingsport Failure of local and state officials to hgree on route over or around the mountain has put off Kingsports segment of the high- itK IV h'! MM- 'V: 'f'Z i 7 JL- (fc'WWv -yA" fc(-yvjr vSftJt' MN No billboards to blight the 7- fm I A MeMWHS'wWxiaiiWu way indefinitely In the meantime interstate traffic will be dumped onto the John Dennis Bypass Stone Drive and Lynn Garden VM'Asv 4' Fi' ys 7 open to traffic on the outskirts of Kingsport By next summeiy it will be open all the way from Johnson City into Virginia but not through I The highway route has been the subject of controversy for years Originally four possibilities were considered' Haitnon said: (hie which would cross a saddle of Bays Mountain one which would skirt close to the base of the mountain one through Long Island and one along Industry Drive The state has already discarded the last two ideas Harmon said Industry Drive drew iocaPobjections because file area is already slated for industrial use Lang Island has two drawbacks the planner 8ai- irst )een preempted by industry and second its been designated a "historic site by the National Registry of Historic Sites and highway construction in such areas is prohibited unless strong reasons can be shown that its necessary The two engineers working in the area are now making cost estimates on the two remaining alternative routes Harmon said Both routes offer some problems A highway over Bays Mountain would present a steep grade and "very very heavy work Harmon said And the other route at or near the foot of the mountain would run Into areas now being used as sludge ponds by local industry The engineers are calculating the construction costs on each route as well as the cost of purchasing the land Harmon said On the route over the mountain "we have to project the grade and see if we can get the slopes Were also making a geological investigation of the location because when you cross a mountain theres a possibility of slides The tops are not very stable The studies will probably be completed within six weeks and then the highway department will schedule a public hearing in Kingsport allowing a 30-day notice Harmon said The hearing will allow Kingsport area residents to give their comments on the proposal If state and area people agree on a route plan the Bureau of Public Roads in Nashville will be asked for its approval and planners will make a design for the highway Area residents will be invited to a Design Hearing and the plan will be reviewed and redesigned if necessary before Ita ready for bids This much of the work can be completed by the State Highway Department Harmon said But thats as far as things can go I -'y 1 5 rj a 4 IV V' I4 By MARY KISS Times-News Staff Writer 1 cv link by link the new 23-Appalachian Highway Is spanning the hills and fields between Kingsport and Johnson City By next summer traffic should be flowing 7 smoothly all the way from John Dennis By-Pass to Johnson Citys Roan Street highway officials say So far their tally pum Eke this: -By-Pass to Rode Springs 1 and 1-81 toterebange completed and open to traffio Vandals at work already Interchange bridges two) still under onstruction 1 i Interchange to Gray Station completed Gray Station to Boones Creek almost finished to be ready by Christmas Booness Creek to Roan Street already graded to be completed by summer But its another story where Kingsports own link of the Appalachian Highway is concerned The road stops at (he By-Pass end takes up again just outside Gate City carrying traffic into Virginia The segment which would tie the two together Isnt even on the planning boards yet i According to Hannon director of Zs if Tf i 1 ock Springs interchange yet research and planning for the Tennessee Highway Department in Nashville -two engineers are now in Kingsport working on detailed studies on the two alternate routes which ar still under consideration 'until the Federal Government is ready to supply more Appalachian Highway funds "We dont have any money now for building the road Harmon said "All we can do is wait till Congress appropriates some.