Parkway surface features

Parkway to be repaved
in Pigeon Forge

Blalock’s has won the project from the Tennessee Department of Transportation to repave the parkway through Pigeon Forge this spring. The project will resurface the road from the bridge at Community Center drive between traffic lights 2 and 3 all the way to the city limits at the Spur to Gatlinburg.
According to Doug Blalock, the company will meet with the state on some details this week. The contract has a guideline requiring a 60-degree temperature for paving during March, but is only 50 degrees in April. If the company gets the 50-degree limit for March as well, they believe they can complete the project in mid-April.
The project’s specifications give the company until Memorial Day to finish, but city officials and the company recognize the need for an earlier completion for the tourist season.
“If we can get started in March, then we can be at a halfway point when Dolly (Parton) has her parade. The city also has several car shows in April that they want us to keep in mind,” said Blalock.
Blalock’s plans to grind off part of the existing pavement, recycle the material, and lay down fresh paving. They hope to move in a circle, going from Community Center Drive toward the Spur on one lane, then coming back on the other side of the Parkway.
Due to wide lanes on the road, they believe that they can close one lane and squeeze the other two lanes around the work area to keep traffic flowing.
“It’s a process similar to what we did on Boyd’s Creek and 66 last summer,” said Blalock.
TDOT officials will be in Pigeon Forge this week to meet with the city and Blalock’s. Much of the project’s timing depends on the give and take of that meeting. City Manager Earlene Teaser confirmed for the Mayor and City Council Tuesday that the project would not take place at night, so that guests to the city in motels would not be disturbed.
Notices about the project will be delivered to business owners along the parkway by the city later this week.