Thu
Mar 15 2007
12:17 pm
Moving S. Knoxville Forward
By: michael kaplan

This via Joe Hultquist:

The following is the official public notice for the next step in public input for TDOT's James White Parkway project. If you have any interest in this project, please make plans to attend on March 27th.

Notice of Public Workshop

The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) will conduct a public workshop on Tuesday, March 27, 2007, at South Doyle Middle School, 3900 Decatur Road, Knoxville, Tennessee to discuss Knox County project number 47024-1230-04, proposed SR-71, South Knoxville Boulevard, from Governor Jon Sevier Highway (SR-168) to Moody Avenue.

The workshop will be held from 5-7 p.m. during which time there will be a short presentation that will provide the background and current status of the project. The public is invited to ask questions and make comments during the meeting and will be given the opportunity to make their opinions known concerning the purpose and need for the project. The public will also have an opportunity to participate by marking suggestions/ideas on the various maps that will be displayed at the workshop. Representatives of the department will be available to assist with this exchange of ideas and to provide information on any aspect of the project.

Persons with a disability, who require aids or services to participate at the meeting, may contact Me. Margaret Mahler at the following address no less than 10 days prior to the date of the meeting.

Ms. Margaret Mahler or by e-mail:
Margaret.Z.Mahler@state.tn.us
ADA and Safety Coordinator Phone (615) 741-4984
Tennessee Department of Transportation Fax (615) 532-5988
Suite 400, James K. Polk Bldg. TTY Relay (615) 253-8311
505 Deaderick Street
Nashville, TN 37243

A court reporter will be available to receive oral statements to be included in the project transcript. In addition, comment sheets are made available for those who prefer to make written statements. Written statements and other exhibits to be included in the project transcript may be submitted within 21 days after the workshop date to the following address:

Project Comments
Tennessee Department of Transportation
Suite 700, James K. Polk Building
505 Deaderick Street
Nashville, TN 37243-0332

Joe Hultquist
Knoxville City Councilman, 1st District
joseph49@bellsouth.net
(865) 579-1250

Topics:
MBKtown's picture

?

Submitted by MBKtown on Thu, 2007/03/15 - 1:17pm.

"Forward" eh?

bizgrrl's picture

It would be nice to get

Submitted by bizgrrl on Thu, 2007/03/15 - 1:42pm.

It would be nice to get many, many people in the affected neighborhoods involved. Something obvious, including how it may affect individual property owners. Any ideas?

jbr's picture

change title...

Submitted by jbr on Thu, 2007/03/15 - 6:10pm.

Just a suggestion but changing the title of this topic would probably have a dramamtic impact on more people reading it. "James White Parkway public input meeting", or something like that. I almost didnt read it, and every time I think about the JWP I just get ticked off.

bizgrrl's picture

changing the title of this

Submitted by bizgrrl on Thu, 2007/03/15 - 6:28pm.

changing the title of this topic

Good point!

every time I think about the JWP I just get ticked off

I get furious!

michael kaplan's picture

Moving Knoxville Forward

Submitted by michael kaplan on Thu, 2007/03/15 - 7:00pm.

(link...)

Rachel's picture

Ok, let me start by saying

Submitted by Rachel on Thu, 2007/03/15 - 7:05pm.

Ok, let me start by saying that, for a variety of reasons, I am totally opposed to completing the JWP.

But please, do we have to drag Haslam into everything? First of all, this is a TDOT meeting. If you think the City controls TDOT you are in serious need of therapy.

Second, there was a task force a couple of years ago that spent a lot of time studying this issue. Their effort was supported by the City and their report endorsed by the administration. TDOT agreed to do a new enviornmental impact study based on the report.

I'm not exactly sure what this meeting is about, but I plan to attend to find out. As should anyone interested in south Knoxville.

Number9's picture

But please, do we have to drag Haslam into everything?

Submitted by Number9 on Fri, 2007/03/16 - 3:27pm.

Is Mayor Haslam the closest thing to Chuck Norris in your eyes?

Do we have to give Mayor Haslam a pass on everything? He does have some accountability. For a secular progressive you have elevated this man to Sainthood.

Nelle's picture

Time to fess up

Submitted by Nelle on Fri, 2007/03/16 - 5:48pm.

C'mon, Rachel, admit it: you worship Chuck Norris.

Wait, that was the digit's point, wasn't it?

Nevermind ...

Scruffy Citysin's picture

Submitted by Rachel on Tue,

Submitted by Scruffy Citysin on Fri, 2007/03/16 - 9:08am.

Submitted by Rachel on Tue, 2007/02/13 - 11:35pm.
Hey probiz, just curious. Did you make an outcry about all the businesses that were forced to relocate for the I40 and HOF expansion? Cause I don't recall hearing that from you about that.

Submitted by Rachel on Thu, 2007/03/15 - 6:05pm.
But please, do we have to drag Haslam into everything? First of all, this is a TDOT meeting. If you think the City controls TDOT you are in serious need of therapy.

Do the above comments appear to be inconsistent to anyone other than me?

Inconsistent or not, I'm pleased to see Rachel express her opposition to the extension of the JWP.

It appears a major planned change is the relocation of the southern terminus from Chapman Hwy to John Sevier Highway. No doubt it will include a major revamping of the Chapman Hwy/John Sevier Hwy intersection.

Welcome to Westown Traffic, South Knoxville!

michael kaplan's picture

"But please, do we have to drag Haslam into everything?"

Submitted by michael kaplan on Fri, 2007/03/16 - 2:25pm.

S. Knoxville is still within the City of Knoxville, is it not? As I recall, one of the Haslam administration's first acts in office was to organize a 'public input' meeting for the SmartFix widening of I-40. A strong mayor and city council would surely voice their thoughts about a project of such scale and importance.

MBKtown's picture

Public input

Submitted by MBKtown on Fri, 2007/03/16 - 3:27pm.

Speaking of ticked or furious. You should go read the puplic meeting comments. These things were torture.

(link...)

If I had a dollar for every person who said "We need to finish what we started".

Because seriously, that's the best logic ever.

Rachel's picture

This is just silly

Submitted by Rachel on Fri, 2007/03/16 - 5:56pm.

Yes, Michael, south Knoxville is part of Knoxville. Yes, the Mayor and Council should pay attention to - and even try to influence - what TDOT does within the City.

But I repeat, this is a TDOT meeting. Why it was necessary to insinuate that Haslam (or any other local politician) was reponsible for it is beyond me.

(And BTW, I have my own guess about what will happen to the JWP - I think the new EIS may kill it. But we will see.)

Scruffy City - no, my comments are not inconsistent. Only if you hold your head just right and squint can they possibly be interpreted as such. I am, however, impressed with the effort it took to pull one of those comments from the archives.

#9 - bite me. I worship at the shrine of Haslam far less fervently than you worship at the shrine of Hutchison.

And how the hell do you know I am a "secular progressive?" I don't think that's a label I've ever attached to myself. You really need to break yourself of your habit of assuming you know what others think and believe.

And oh yeah, Chuck Norris sucks.

Up Goose Creek's picture

Terminus

Submitted by Up Goose Creek on Fri, 2007/03/16 - 6:10pm.

It appears a major planned change is the relocation of the southern terminus from Chapman Hwy to John Sevier Highway.

Regardless of whether one feels the JWP should be extended, I've found few people who thought the old terminus was a good location. There was/is a lot of public support for taking JWP to John Sevier Highway.

_____________________________
Less is the new More - Karrie Jacobs

Rachel's picture

Yup. As far as I can tell

Submitted by Rachel on Fri, 2007/03/16 - 6:12pm.

Yup. As far as I can tell even the folks who oppose finishing the road think that if it is finished, it should at least go to John Sevier.

Rachel's picture

I've just realized something

Submitted by Rachel on Fri, 2007/03/16 - 6:14pm.

#9:Haslam as County Commission:Ragsdale.

All it takes for the second to look good if for the first to open its mouth.

Hoseman19's picture

I live south

Submitted by Hoseman19 on Fri, 2007/03/16 - 6:22pm.

I live in south Knox county, and frequent Chapman Hwy. I think connecting JWP to John Sevier Hwy would be a great idea. It would help with traffic congestion on Chapman, just for one. Chapman Hwy is a dangerous road, high speeds, curves, lots of traffic, and bad driving habits with only paint separating on-coming vehicles.

jbr's picture

From accident statistics I

Submitted by jbr on Mon, 2007/03/19 - 1:33am.

From accident statistics I have seen Chapman Highway doesnt seem to be even close to most dangerous roads in area. As for high speeds, in the maybe 30 thousand plus times I have been on it that didnt occur to me. Dishmans curve used to be hairy until the modified it and put in turn lane back in 1970's.

As for curves, bad driving habits, and paint separting oncoming traffic. What would building another road do to change that?

This earlier blog might be of interest.

Do we need the James White Parkway?

I think JWP extension will actually result in more traffic eventually. On every road in the area. Because of resulting more dense development.

I suspect a real estate developer in SK wants JWP pretty badly.

JaHu's picture

Do we need the James White

Submitted by JaHu on Mon, 2007/03/19 - 11:35pm.

Do we need the James White Parkway?

I grew kind of accustom to JWP, and now I miss it's direct link to the interstate. Having to take the Hall of Fame drive is a definite inconvenience, and I have found it is quicker just to go Henley. If you are intending to go west on the I-40 there's a considerable amount of backtracking you have to do by taking the HFD, and the red lights are a pain.

Adrift in the Sea of Humility

Rachel's picture

Yup, it's a tad bit more

Submitted by Rachel on Mon, 2007/03/19 - 11:38pm.

Yup, it's a tad bit more trouble getting to I40 w/o the JWP. Trouble I would gladly take forever if we could get rid of the concrete canyons around the Coliseum and the neighborhood sundering mess south of the river.

bizgrrl's picture

if we could get rid of the

Submitted by bizgrrl on Tue, 2007/03/20 - 5:54am.

if we could get rid of the concrete canyons around the Coliseum and the neighborhood sundering mess south of the river

Yes!
Several ways to get West without JWP.

S Carpenter's picture

JaHu says: "intending to go

Submitted by S Carpenter on Tue, 2007/03/20 - 6:32am.

JaHu says: "intending to go west on the I-40 there's a considerable amount of backtracking you have to do by taking the HFD, and the red lights are a pain."

You are one intrepid traveller, Sir. I didn't merge into that I40 fast lane while trying to look over my right shoulder through the car unless my life depended on it ... oh wait.

JaHu's picture

You are one intrepid

Submitted by JaHu on Tue, 2007/03/20 - 8:27am.

You are one intrepid traveller, Sir. I didn't merge into that I40 fast lane while trying to look over my right shoulder through the car unless my life depended on it ... oh wait.

It's amazing how humans can adapt, even when one's life hangs in the balance. It definitely wasn't an acceleration lane for the faint of heart. I just figured they put it there as a way to eliminate us south Knoxvillians.

Adrift in the Sea of Humility

Tamara Shepherd's picture

Banked wrong, too

Submitted by Tamara Shepherd on Tue, 2007/03/20 - 10:43am.

JaHu: "It definitely wasn't an acceleration lane for the faint of heart."

Not only was that lane far to short and designed to merge new traffic directly into the "fast lane" of I-40, it was banked the wrong way--leaning away from I-40, rather than into it!

Whatever changes result from the re-do (I haven't followed the plan much), I'm vastly relieved that my 15-year old will never navigate the old acceleration ramp.

jbr's picture

At one time we could drive

Submitted by jbr on Tue, 2007/03/20 - 11:28am.

At one time we could drive from JohnSevier/Chapman hwy intersection to Kingston Pike and I-40 going thru only one traffic light, and no stop signs. That was a year ago. I am not sure about now.

michael kaplan's picture

rachel wrote: "Ok, let me

Submitted by michael kaplan on Wed, 2007/03/21 - 3:52pm.

rachel wrote:

"Ok, let me start by saying that, for a variety of reasons, I am totally opposed to completing the JWP."

i'd be interested in hearing (in a nutshell) some of those reasons.

bizgrrl's picture

Don't forget! Tell your

Submitted by bizgrrl on Tue, 2007/03/27 - 7:17am.

Don't forget! Tell your neighbors, friends, concerned citizens.

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