After two years, end nears for Newtown road work

If Mary Cook had bought a ticket, she would not have been upset with her seat. From her front porch on Nashville Highway, Cook has the perfect view to see all that’s happening in the way of road construction in Newtown.
And she’s glad there is finally an end in sight. June 30 is the day TDOT has targeted to be done with all major work on the four-lane to Woodbury, although there might be a few odds and ends to clean up after that date.
‘Just to watch how many times the road has changed has been pretty funny,’ said Cook. ‘Watching them work has been pretty neat. You see them in one area working and you think they’re done, then they go back again and do some more. It will be nice when it’s all finished.’
There aren’t many major items that still need to be completed, according to local TDOT employee Bo Hoskins. He said sidewalk work should be complete today. That will leave the top layer of asphalt and permanent signs as the only two major items left to finish.
‘June 30 is supposed to be the final day and we should be close to that,’ said Hoskins.
Construction work began in Newtown on June 23, 2006.
One of the big questions surrounding four-lane construction is what happens next? The 1.1-mile stretch through Newtown is only a small portion of the overall project of a producing a better road to Woodbury.
According to TDOT public information officer Julie Oaks, the next portion of the project, phase II, is a 4.6-mile stretch from Spring Valley Road heading toward Centertown.
Oaks said funding for construction should be received in 2009, so phase II should begin next year.