OHM Advisors proposes water, sewer and land‑use master plan for Cocke County’s Exit 440 corridor

OHM Advisors on June 5, 2025 submitted a professional services proposal to Cocke County to prepare a water and sewer infrastructure and land‑use master plan for a roughly 20‑square‑mile study area centered on the Tennessee Department of Transportation’s planned reconfiguration of I‑40 Exit 440, anticipated to be complete in 2030.

The proposal, addressed to Mayor Rob Mathis, identifies four priority subareas — A (Cosby to Wilton Springs), B (Cosby and nearby schools), C (connection west along U.S. 321) and D (I‑40 through Hartford) — and sets out Tasks 1–7: project startup and management; data discovery and analysis; land‑use scenario planning; water and sewer master planning (including decentralized wastewater treatment plant feasibility and preliminary routing); public engagement (visioning workshop, online survey, landowner meeting); refinement and phasing; and an implementation plan and final report. OHM proposes monthly check‑ins and stakeholder presentations and says deliverables will include GIS layers, scenario exhibits and a draft and final summary report.

The firm estimates the cost at a lump sum of $489,600, with reimbursables not‑to‑exceed $3,000. The budget breakdown lists $31,700 for project launch and management; $25,400 for discovery and analysis; $53,100 for land‑use scenario planning; $207,500 for water/sewer master planning; $38,100 for public engagement; $63,300 for refinement; and $67,500 for implementation planning and reporting. The proposal specifically says the master plan will address the anticipated needs of Exit 440 for the first five years and consider longer‑term expansion options.

OHM also flags the county’s desire to “protect its rural character” and proposes concentrating growth in key areas, providing gateway suggestions, and presenting funding‑strategy options that include CDBG, SRF, USDA‑RD and bonds. The scope includes an assessment of power and gas availability near potential wastewater facilities and opinions of probable cost (OPC) for infrastructure alternatives; OHM notes that OPCs exclude community‑space improvements and that detailed design is an exclusion unless added as an additional service.

Next steps in OHM’s timeline are a project kickoff with county staff, Newport Utilities and stakeholders, followed by data collection and a community visioning workshop. The proposal states OHM is available to start immediately and anticipates an 8–10 month schedule from authorization, subject to client availability and unforeseen disruptions.