TDOT Completes Survey of Townsend Right of Way Encroachments

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Department of Transportation has completed the survey on state right-of-way encroachments in Townsend on U.S. 321. Individual information will be available Tuesday October 5, to each property owner for review. Information will be provided on how it affects each of those individual property owners’ encroachments.

 

TDOT Chief engineer Paul Degges and several other TDOT staff members will be on hand Tuesday evening at The Great Smoky Mountain Heritage Center in Townsend to answer questions from property owners. TDOT staff will also sit down individually with property owners earlier in the day beginning at 9 a.m. and continuing until 4:00 p.m. 

 

In early August, TDOT sent out more than 80 letters to property owners explaining the encroachments in violation of T.C.A. 54-5-136. TDOT also hired an independent contractor, R.G.C. & A. Consulting Engineers and Surveyors to set markers and analyze each encroachment on U.S. 321/State Route 73 in Townsend. An additional 22 encroachments were found and those property owners are being informed of those encroachments.  

 

Degges said, “It is imperative that we meet with and discuss each encroachment with each individual property owner to come to a solution that adheres to the state law, but also allows citizens to comply without undue harm.”

 

The meeting Tuesday evening October 5 is set to begin at 5:00 p.m.

 

 

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