BLOUNTVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security said its Blountville Driver Services Center is scheduled to reopen to the public on Monday, Oct. 12, after facility improvements at the Sullivan County office that serves Bristol-area residents.
The center is located at 3769 Highway 11-W. Officials said the project is part of a statewide effort to modernize Driver Services Centers with more efficient customer flow and updated equipment for people who need licenses, IDs and related transactions.
Improvements listed in the state release include new flooring, fresh paint throughout the building, new furniture, new signage, updated equipment and a remodeled lobby designed to improve how customers move through the office from check-in to the counter.
Department leaders said the upgrades are meant to create a more welcoming environment and help staff serve customers more efficiently once the doors reopen Monday after the construction window.
Tri-Cities drivers who used other centers while Blountville was closed can return to the Highway 11-W site after the Monday reopening. The department pointed residents to its online locations directory for hours and alternate offices across Tennessee if lines are long on day one.
Blountville sits in Sullivan County beside Bristol, Tenn., making the Highway 11-W center a primary licensing stop for many HERE Bristol readers who need driver services without traveling farther into Kingsport or Johnson City. A statewide news listing dated Oct. 9 flagged the same Monday reopen date for the Blountville Driver Services Center after facility improvements.