KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — City of Knoxville said it invested roughly $1.6 million towards the Amherst Road Slope Stabilization Project.
According to a press release, the project had some complications because the slope banking the roadway and should was deteriorating and the road was getting skinnier as outer pieces of asphalt crumbled.
Officials said that part of the solution included bringing in better soils, stone, and gabion baskets. Some upgrades like re-establishing the roadway shoulder and bringing the guardrails up to current standards required the cooperation of residential property owners and the CSX railroad line.
The large section of Amherst Road, which was closed since last fall, was reopened to commuters on April 1, officials said.
City officials informed the 775-foot-long stretch of slope is now stabilized and reinforced with a 533-foot-long retaining wall, which at its highest point is 11.5 feet tall. New guardrails have been installed. The project also corrected an issue with asphalt settlement at the Amherst Road bridge over the rail line near Lee Road.
Poor soils were discovered as the wall was being constructed, requiring additional gabion baskets, officials said.
The press release states that CDM Smith was the project designer, and Morgan Contracting was the construction contractor.
