Where can I find information about road closures, water outages and current city information?

The Kingsport Alerts Facebook page provides timely news and updates for all residents and visitors, including city office closures, project updates and press releases, as well as fun information about events and activities.

I have a pothole to report. Now what?

What is the Pavement Condition Index (PCI)?

Using ground-penetrating radar, every street in Kingsport was driven and given an industry standard PCI rating. A low PCI rating (less than 50) indicates the worse condition and a high rating (more than 51) represents the best condition. Factors considered in determining the PCI rating of a street segment include, but are not limited to the streets functional classification, traffic volumes, surface condition, riding condition, and structural condition. Learn more about PCI here.

When will my road be paved?

The sustainable paving plan for Kingsport is driven by data.

The data comes from a pavement condition survey and PCI value that are the basis for management, maintenance, project and budget decisions for the city. Utilizing the PCI value as the basis for pavement-related decisions will allow the city to build a plan for developing annual pavement maintenance. Learn more in the ‘About’ section.

ConnectKingsport
From potholes and damaged street signs to other local issues that need attention, ConnectKingsport makes reporting an issue easier than ever. This app uses GPS to recognize your location and gives you a menu of common quality-of-life conditions to select from. The app also allows you to upload pictures or videos to accompany your request. Residents can track the status of reports they or other members of the community have submitted until the issue is resolved.

You can also use the app to find information about the City of Kingsport with links to the city website, animal services, ongoing events and more. Download the free app today to be a part of making Kingsport a great place to live, work and play!

To download the app, please search for it in the App Store or in the Google Play Store.

To use the online portal instead, please visit this link.

No Parking signs were up, but no work was done on the following day!  Why?


Signs are placed using a schedule that is determined from meetings between City staff and the contractors.  Many circumstances present delays or complications to the processes.  Weather, equipment repairs, material delivery delays, vehicles parked in no parking areas, unusually heavy traffic in the work zone are some of the problems that can delay the work.  Please continue to adhere to the signs and restrict or avoid areas that work is obviously or scheduled to be undertaken.

I had to walk across the newly paved road, should I walk into my home?

NO!  This is not advisable, especially on hot days. Inspect and remove your shoes before walking in your house or getting into your car. The “oil” (asphalt) from the road will take time to cure and can be tracked onto other surfaces for quite some time.  If you get it on your shoes, let it dry completely before wearing and then still be cautious.  If you get the asphalt on carpeted surfaces, use car care or household products available for the removal.  If the tracking of asphalt material is extensive, professionals may need to be employed to remove and this is not even successful in severe cases.  Also, pets should be restricted from the surface.  While not lethal, the asphalt can present complications to their paws, fur or digestive system if swallowed. Remember, it is a petroleum-based product and common sense should be used.

How will I know the construction is completed?

Construction is over when the final application of asphalt material is applied and has cured.  The “No Parking” signs will be removed from your streets and construction vehicles and equipment will be removed from the area.  In some cases, striping of lane features must be applied and this is usually done a week or two following the pavement operation.  Additional cleaning of curbs, sidewalks and driveways in addition to the new surface (in some cases), follows in the days immediately following the paving operation.

What if I have a vehicle in the street that does not run?


Please make arrangements to remove all vehicles in the area removed to prevent damage or delays. Vehicles in areas posted No Parking will unfortunately be towed at the owner’s expense. The need for the pavement operations is obvious but additional hazards you may not have considered are:  vehicle being inadvertently damaged by large construction equipment, limited visibility conditions presented to workers and other motorists, damage from material being splattered by passing equipment or vehicles.  Bottom-line; move the vehicle to avoid damage and help prevent damage to your property.

What if asphalt primer and/or rocks get onto my driveway or sidewalk?

Control of this loose material in these areas is reduced by use of qualified application companies, proper application and restricted traffic on fresh surfaces. However, occasionally it does happen. We ask that you sweep it back into the street so that street sweepers can clean it up. The asphalt primer may stain surfaces and have a sticky characteristic but in time, it will usually wear off, although in some cases it will permanently stain surfaces. This is one of the reasons we ask that the road be restricted to traffic use. There is no method to speed up the proper curing process. Most times cautious, slow, attentive and restricted use will reduce this condition. Dependent upon the work schedule, material in curbs and other “loose” material will be removed by the contractor in a day or two.


What if I get an asphalt emulsion on my vehicle?

If noticed quickly (2-5 minutes), water will usually rinse it off. If allowed to set, most hand cleaners and some car care products will make removal easier. Newer vehicle paints may require professional removal processes and products be used based upon amount of material on the paint surface. Consultation with auto dealerships or car care specialist is recommended to avoid using products that while removing the asphalt may unknowingly damage painted surfaces. Caution in work areas and taking an alternate route should be considered to prevent this from occurring.

How soon can I drive on the new pavement?

After the hot mix asphalt has been applied and rolled, generally light vehicle traffic can resume in 1-3 hours after application. But please drive slowly to prevent damage to your vehicle or the new road surface. Remember–hotter air temperatures require longer curing times. Light rain (while reducing the pavement temperature) also presents wheel slip conditions. Always practice safe driving techniques appropriate to pavement conditions, weather conditions and ‘Rules of the Road’ in construction areas.

Resurfacing Operations

Streets to be resurfaced will be posted with “No Parking” signs restricting parking and alerting the public to the commencement of roadwork.  Parked cars prevent necessary access to areas scheduled to be improved. Parking is typically prohibited between the hours of 7 a.m. and 6 p.m.  “No Parking” signs will be placed along the street at least 48 hours in advance of the date the work will start to alert residents and the public.

There may be times where sections of the road will be impossible to safely navigate. The city and its contractors will work with the residents as best as we can to limit this inconvenience and ensure reasonable access to homes and businesses are maintained.  Caution should also be taken to avoid damaging the road and other surfaces. Oil can be spread from the fresh paving to existing pavement and transfer of oil and sealant material to vehicle paint, bottoms of shoes and bicycle tires will result, in some cases, permanent damage.  Whenever possible-please avoid freshly applied materials until work has been completed.

What safety measures will be taken with paving?

Kingsport is always concerned with the safety of its citizens and visitors. Please be careful in work zones. The equipment used in road construction is large and loud! Visibility is not always to the standards the public is accustomed. While skilled workers and operators are always cautious, limiting your exposure to safety risks is the most prudent prevention to accidents. Workers are concentrating on their task and are not necessarily aware of vehicles or spectators.

Accidents can be minimized by following a few simple rules:

Avoid the work areas.

Slow down while in work areas.

If you are watching the operation, stay a safe distant back from equipment.

Realize that the workers are concentrating on their work and their own safety, not watching for cars, pedestrians or bicycles.

If you have children or pets – supervise them.  Do NOT let them play loose in the yard. Both are curious and can, and do, put themselves at risk without realizing it.

Be patient.  Most operations are done in less than two days (except reconstruction) and then life is back to normal.