The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) has chosen a route that passes north and east of Bulls Gap "as the preferred alternative" for improvements to U.S. Highway 11E from Mosheim to Morristown.

At a public hearing held July 14 at Bulls Gap School in Hawkins County, the route was called "Alternative C-Modified."

TDOT said Tuesday that Alternative C-Modified was chosen "after evaluating the impacts in the environmental assessment" prepared for the project, and evaluating comments received at, and after, the public hearing.

Alternative C-Modified includes a railroad overpass and crosses a ridge east of -- and considerably higher than -- the existing 11E road bed, which parallels the railroad bed for some distance through the topographical feature from which Bulls Gap takes its name.

The proposed improvements would extend from the intersection of 11E and U.S. Highway 25E in Morristown to Exit 23 on I-81.

Bulls Gap, and alternative C-Modified, are near the eastern end of the overall project. The overall project extends several miles into Greene County.

If built, the improvements would upgrade the entire distance from two lanes to four, TDOT Public Information Officer Julie Oaks said last summer.

Hawkins County Mayor Crockett Lee said Tuesday in a telephone interview that he was pleased to learn that TDOT has chosen Alternative C-Modified, "which is what we all wanted."

Lee said he believes the choice is in the best interest of Hamblen, Hawkins and Greene counties, and that the road, when built "will be a boon to all three."

He said the choice makes I-81 "accessible to the largest industry Hawkins County has in that part of the county, and maybe the largest in the entire county. We're just happy that they've done this."

Mosheim Mayor Billy Myers said Tuesday that he and other aldermen have seen TDOT maps that seem to indicate that the four-lane highway, if built, would take several businesses on the north side of Exit 23 that front the existing two-lane highway.

Mayor Myers said, "I would just like to see (TDOT) be real careful about anything they are going to do down there (at Exit 23).

Myers said the plans he has seen would put the four-lane on top of existing businesses on the east side of 11E north of the exit, including the Taco Bell restaurant and the Dairy Queen, which are in the same building.

Three alternative routes in the vicinity of Bulls Gap were presented in July, two of which (including C-Modified) extend a short distance into Greene County.

Most of the speakers at the July public hearing expressed support for Alternative C-Modified.

A TDOT consultant said at the time that Alternative C-Modified was developed, at least in part, to avoid destroying the Moore Farm, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is considered by TDOT to be a cultural resource.

Bulls Gap Mayor Robin Horner said in July that neither of the other options would help the town very much, and said Alternative C-Modified "is our preference," speaking for the town's board.

Barrette Outdoor Living, parent company of US Fence, which has a large manufacturing facility at Bulls Gap, went on record as supporting what later became known as Alternative C-Modified in 2007.

Rusty Russell, an engineer with the company, reinforced the company's position at the July meeting.

Travis Brickey, a TDOT spokesman, said the state agency will now prepare a final environmental document on C-Modified.