Prosser Road has temporarily reopened and will remain open during the Tennessee Valley Fair, which kicks off on Friday, Sept. 5.

The East Knoxville road, which frequently has been shut down by chronic flooding, is undergoing major road construction work. The City of Knoxville is reconstructing approximately 1,600 feet of Prosser Road between Knoxville Zoo Drive and East Magnolia Avenue, and the project is estimated to cost about $1.4 million.

As planned, the road will be open for use during the Tennessee Valley Fair at nearby Chilhowee Park. The fair runs from Sept. 5 through Sept. 14. After the fair, Prosser Road will be closed again and remain closed until the drainage improvement project is completed in December 2014.

Lakeside Drive, a street that runs parallel to Prosser, will be closed to through traffic during the Tennessee Valley Fair, but will be reopened after the fair has ended.

To reduce flooding, a roadway storm sewer is being installed, and soil has been added to raise the elevation of Prosser Road. The work includes new asphalt pavement, concrete curbing and gutters, concrete sidewalks, storm drains, pavement markings and water line relocation.

Prosser Road has been reduced from four lanes to two, and bike lanes and sidewalk will be installed.

For current updates on the construction status of Prosser Road, visit http://www.cityofknoxville.org/engineering/projects/ProsserDrainage.pdf.