The Knoxville News-Sentinel from Knoxville, Tennessee • 11

The Knoxville News-Sentinel Sunday August 26 2001 All STREET BEAT ft A timeline of Knoxviltearea traffic projects 1945-present Plan survey f0n4noia extension begins Work begins on Western Avenue -Tulip Street segmenL-i Overall Magnolia 'Avenue plans submitted and approved 30 mpJu speed timit on Magnolia Avenub Work completed on l-r Political infighting Western Avenue- I delays planning of Mp Street segment T4-western segment of Beltway around chyTti MaOnofia extension publicly discussed Moore doverteaf Work begins on north-Si "Avenueeidt) south expressway 1-640: a lair bypass Proposed in the 1950s but not open until the early 198081-640 was needed to relieve the pressure of antidjHted traffic While It did take some traffic away from the center city it was in need of an upgrade from the day It opened Route 475 which could bypass Knox County entirely was proposed as far back as 1975 Today disagreement over its route and impact keep It on the drawing table Magnolia Ewsssway Gay Street to Unaka Street set to open Right-of-way acquisitions begin for East Expressway -Bearden to Kingston segment of MO opens MO from Gay Street Id Kingston opens 1-75 opens from Sharps Gap to Lenoir City Plans to fix Malfunfr Hon Junction proposed is Last section of MO in JjE Knoxville opens im while state sunny crews search for new US 70 routs Planners hope business loop to be completed by 1961 Dutch Vklley Loop 1-75 interchange plans drawn up Work on East Expressway begins Alcoa Highway extended to MO Business LoopMO eritcafcd Dangerous Memphis-Knaxvile interstate complete Malfunction Junction fix is studied Map and Unwin by RDanM Proctor 1-640 to I West Knox County are said JefF Welch director of the Knoxville Urban Ana Metropolitan Hanning Oiganimtirai a tumMmg Design and scale comparison The PeHssippi Parirway interchange below provides an example of a recently gned and butt n-speed highway interchange Malfunction Junction -Iin Environmental impact study for South Knox Bridge conducted TSSSfjtsSSSL caked new Malfunction Li I Bridge Gap Road exit opens wmpkkd- providing Clinton I' access from H40e If the paethaa offered any leseone itfe that more attention must be paid to the impact transportation can have on land uae HariaiM Via wplitiniid Developers regularly request traffic counts from the MPO Welch said looking far where the traffic is increasing When development does follow new road construction the consequence doesn't often radar to a variety of transportation choices -Rather it rady perpetuates congestion with a reliance on cars "We built a lot of roads without any said you have laud development vou have more traffic We try to strike a balanoe between mobility and local Bob Bowen with Wilbur Smith Associates a regular consulting firm to TDOT agrees uaed to do things in a vacuum We cant do that anymore said Bowen who also has waked as an engineer fir TDOT and the city of Knoxville 1 think over the next 10 years we're grang to see some different approaches to our design But despite the problems ana complaints from the motoring public many people stifi enjoy the moiality of a commuter lifestyle Even with better Henley Street connector planned in 1979 opens as last busiest route in Tennessee The same atretdi of interstate is now expected to reach 278000 daily vehicles 1 2019 rendering it just as ineffective as it i now despite the latest improvements But with the rising cost of rightafrray in urban areas whim now can account far as much as GO percent of a project's total cost the state has came fall circle and turned to another canidar of untapped land to build a new route Proposed Route 475 will bypass Knoxville sending 1-75 traffic around 1-40 and through neighboring counties to the north and west It is the only lraifterm option kft to keep pace wiffi Knoxville's traffic Lessons teamed? Still 10 to 15 years away from construction the promise of Route 475 already has the Buppart of a frustrated MO75 kitei it Cedar Bluff Walker Springs roads redesigned and rebuilt The doverleaves butt at Baxter and Woodland avenues in the 1950s above are shown here In scale with the PeHssippi interchange Increasing speeds and traffic volume are demanding larger and smoother interchanges or bus stops" he said "We just built it far the automobile" Moore admits that things can be done differently Road engineers can limit the number ofinterdhangBS and maximize the Interstate 140 an extension of the Peilissjcpl Parkway opens in West Knox Redesigned Alcoa HighwayMO Interchange opens South Knocvle Bridge finally connected James White Parkway 1950s he said may not have laid the foundation fir a transportation system all that different from the one today 5 we would have mule a different dedskxi would we have wanted a radically different thing? I'm not Hay Mckman may reached at S6M4MS23 or ndaMnOlaiwmyoom Routs 475 a Knox County bypass for H75 tracers is in the planning stages Several other kitsistatorelatsd including tits redesign of the Wbst Hills and exits lane additions to 1-640 and 1-4075 and the completion of the MOChapman Highway connector competing interests fir traffic mobility and economic development are again wrestling across the drawing board 1 Likewise the South Knoxville Boulevard extension is surrounded by concerns over what effects its design or the suggested alternative on Street flow For instance 1-40 between the 1-75 Bphl and 1-275 offers 11 interchanges within 20 miles as it rolls through West Knoxville into downtown While planners have yet to decide which corridcr to build fir 475 designs currently envision 38 to 40 miles of road with rally 10 to 12 interchanges But local planners also can help control Continued from page A10 is years away from construction TDOTs latest traffic counts find an Iftheee and other projects are not 1 A -11- motorists roe bade in the 1960b Find out why not getting a good rest I The Baptist Sleep Center is conducting a series of free screenings on i fedwtng wfJmleaders and exciting Show Height weight blood pressure snd Educational materials: body mass index analysis A tour of Baptists Accredited A sleep questionnaire Sleep Center Recommendations for further evaluation by a sleep physician necessary An interview with a trained sleep professional which includes an evaluation of sleep habits and recommendations for better sleep Space is Limited when BAPTIST SLEEP ICENTER All Proceeds ft Children's Hospital Reservations call l-oo-ss6-l676 Dixie Stamps on tlrParicw in PlgmForlMife from Dtvxxl HNTIH1V ISMtovSEMNE £21 Hthvyitiumtf Malta an appointment hy calling the Baptist Sleep Center at 632-5627 Space is limited! Tht Baptist Slop Csntsr Is member of ths Amarican Academy of Slaap Madlclna i.