Update on Main Street Rebuild Project
The Main Street Rebuild project is approximately 35% complete with work currently consisting of utility reconstruction. New water line construction in section one is 95% complete with approximately 40% of the lines being active. New sewer lines have been installed and are active in section one, with work continuing on the stormwater system.
The Main Street Rebuild is a multi-year construction project that aims to improve and beautify one of the main gateways into downtown Kingsport. Work began in earnest last November near the Kingsport Area Transit System side of Main Street and will proceed westward toward Clinchfield Street over the next two years.
Weak soil underneath Main Street will be removed and replaced with stone and then the contractor will build a new road on top of the strong, stable base.
The project calls for new utility lines (water, sewer, stormwater) installed along Main Street, telephone and cable lines placed underground, powerlines relocated to the opposite side of the road and the roadway enhanced with landscaping, bulb outs and stamped brick crosswalks.
Last week, the Board of Mayor and Aldermen approved a change order for the project, adding just over $2 million in funding and extending the contract by 158 days. The additional funds will go towards removing contaminated soils not identified during preliminary testing and replacing the concrete on Main Street (from Wexler to Sullivan) with geo-grid, stone and asphalt.
Funding from state and federal sources will cover 80% of the cost of the Main Street Rebuild project.
To stay updated on the project, be sure to like and follow the Main Street Rebuild page on Facebook and Instagram or visit www.kingsporttn.gov/mainstreet to sign up for the newsletter.