KUB Vegetation Management Work Underway Along E. Summit Hill Dr.

Communications Director

Kristin Farley
[email protected]
(865) 215-2589

400 Main St., Room 691
Knoxville, TN 37902

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KUB Vegetation Management Work Underway Along E. Summit Hill Dr.

Posted: 11/22/2016
KUB Vegetation Management crews, working closely with officials from Knoxville’s Community Development Corporation (KCDC), have begun agreed-upon tree removal work in the utility easement along the south side of E. Summit Hill Drive, between Patton Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Vegetation work is scheduled to continue in this area through early December 2016. 

The trees being removed are located within the utility maintenance zone beneath existing power lines. They have required extensive pruning on a frequent basis to ensure safety, reliability, and to avoid conflicts with the overhead lines. 

This vegetation work is being performed ahead of a KUB Century II electric system upgrade project, which is scheduled to start in this area in early 2017. As part of the electric system infrastructure upgrades, KUB will replace a span of utility poles to support the installation of additional overhead electric lines that will increase capacity and improve reliability. 

Once the electric upgrades have been completed, KUB has coordinated with KCDC to replace the trees that are being removed one-for-one with lower growing species that will not interfere with the new utility poles and overhead electric lines as they grow. 

To the extent possible, KUB is also taking steps to communicate with customers in the affected area. No electric service interruptions will be required in association with this work. 

Ongoing utility work may also require intermittent closures of the eastbound curbside lane of traffic and the sidewalk on the south side of E. Summit Hill Drive weekdays between 8 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. to facilitate safe access and for crews, vehicles, and equipment. 

Century II is KUB's proactive long-range program to improve and maintain the electric, natural gas, water, and wastewater systems for our customers. 

Customers can visit www.kub.org for more information about KUB’s Century II and Vegetation Management programs.