Campbell Co. neighbors fed up with potholes

CAMPBELL COUNTY, Tenn. (WVLT) -- A road full of potholes and generally poor conditions has prompted folks to join together to work toward a solution in Campbell County.

Neighbors in the area of Stinking Creek Road said they know how to watch out for all the potholes along the road to Appalachian Accommodations and Beyond, but the business's owner said he gets frustrated that tourists come to stay at his place and wind up with an unpleasant surprise when they exit the interstate.

"They come off of a long trip on the road to get here, and then they have to drive on this, what some people around here call a road, it's actually in terrible condition,"

Appalachian Accommodations owner Robert Miller said.

Down another stretch of the rough road lies Creekside Market, serving up lunch for locals and visitors.

"The potholes, they're not normal potholes,"

Tommi Allen of the Creekside Market said.

"They're sinkholes in the road, and they're in multiple areas of the road. I think this area gets neglected a lot because of the area that it is, it's in the mountain area."

Neighbors in the area said they're organizing so that county leaders will know they're serious about getting the road repaved.

"We've seen some patchwork and things like that done, but we've had patchwork for a long time now, 40 years, 30 years I know for sure,"

resident Trina Baird said.

Even County Commissioners said the process is complicated, and that though they deal with budgets, it's up to the road superintendent to decide which roads get paved first.

"Once his budget is passed, then it's up to him to put that money whatever he sees necessary to put it on,"

5th District County Commissioner Carl Douglas said.

County leaders previously told WVLT they were looking into the possibility of using state money to help cover the cost of revamping the road. It would cost an estimated $1.2 million.

Campbell County Mayor E.L. Morton also previously said he hoped to transform the Stinking Creek exit into a business center, which would require road work before development could begin.