Changes coming for deadly intersection in Grainger County

Thursday, a two-car crash near Clinch Mountain in Grainger ended the life of 27-year-old Ryan Hurst, and two others were injured. The county Commissioner James Acuff is working to change that stretch of the road.

Six crosses line the side of the highway where six people died in different car wrecks on Highway 25E, and room will be made for one more after Thursday's crash.

Highway 25E has roughly 7,000 to 9,000 vehicles pass this intersection, and it's very poorly constructed to try to pull out on too," said Commissioner Acuff.

Acuff told Local 8 News that between the landscape and people speeding, wrecks have been happening and making the people of Grainger County nervous.

"They are very scared of it. They want something done, they want an overpass," said Acuff.

An overpass would cost over $20 million; instead, TDOT has plans for improvements by relocating the entrances of Highway 131. A start date has not been scheduled yet.

"We want more than that because though I think it will help some, I don't think it will solve the problem completely," said Acuff.

Acuff is hoping TDOT will start the project soon as well as consider an overpass.

"I would hate to know that we've lost all those lives and couldn't afford to get an overpass here," said Acuff.