Mon
Feb 18 2008
10:09 pm
Help save Townsend: TDOT hearing on Pellissippi Parkway Extension
By: R. Neal

Memo to any of you folks over in Knox County or anywhere else in the area who would like to help save Townsend (the "peaceful side of the Smokies") and push back against wealthy land speculators (including Lamar Alexander) who want taxpayers to fund a tourist thruway to their new Blackberry Farm developments...

Come out to the TDOT hearing on the Pellissippi Parkway extension, tomorrow Tuesday Feb. 19, from 5-7pm at Heritage High School. We hope to be there live-blogging it.

More info here, here, here, and some talking points here.

Topics:
Brian A.'s picture

Townsend?

Submitted by Brian A. on Tue, 2008/02/19 - 12:33am.

I don't see Townsend mentioned much in the above-linked discussions.

Is the theory that improving highway access to East Maryville will increase the traffic flow to Townsend?

I'm not an expert on Blount County, but I don't see that cutting travel time to Townsend by a few miles and a few minutes is going to make a dramatic difference in the number of drivers making that trip.

Brian A.
I'd rather be
cycling.

R. Neal's picture

Citizens, officials prep for

Submitted by R. Neal on Tue, 2008/02/19 - 1:46am.

Citizens, officials prep for meeting on Pellissippi Parkway extension

The extension could be helpful for tourist traffic associated with Townsend and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, said Herb Handly, executive vice president of the Smoky Mountain Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Pellissippi, Townsend, and Pigeon Forge

Pellissippi Parkway Extension and "development" are the unstated reason for the interstate, according to a persuasive letter to the Daily Times. Link...

I think Mr. Templeton correctly identifies the real pressures for this project, which of course noone will admit to in public. Since TDOT itself acknowledges that the highway will not make traffic flow any better, what other reasons are there for persuing it?

Citizens Against Pellissippi Parkway Extension

Why do so many citizens oppose the construction of the remaining section of the highway?

The proposed highway will take farmland out of production, bring noise and air pollution, create surface run-off and urban sprawl. Traffic from the highway will place additional pressure on secondary roads which are already in need of improvement. This highway contradicts what Blount County residents have said they want for the future - to preserve the rural character of our county. Read more about our concerns.
Is this road needed?

NO! We already have a four lane road from Alcoa Highway to Townsend. Recent traffic counts do not show a need for a new interstate highway through the eastern part of Blount County.

Rooms with exclusive views: Three Sisters project will be closely aligned with Blackberry Farm

Plans for the Three Sisters land envision a majority of the 5,000 acres being set aside for conservation. The principals in the deal are the Beall family, which includes Ruby Tuesday restaurant chain founder and chief executive Sandy Beall; the Haslam family, founders of Pilot Corp., the largest travel center operator in the country; Brad Martin, former CEO of Proffitt’s and Saks Inc.; businessman Charlie Hicks; and developer Walt Lane.

For a preview, see Dumplin Creek.

etc.

jbr's picture

Citizens Against the

Submitted by jbr on Tue, 2008/02/19 - 12:53am.

Citizens Against the Pellissippi Parkway Extension

(link...)

Years ago on occasion I would drive up to Cades Cove to run on Sunday mornings. I considered it a pleasant drive with no delays of significance. The drive was part of the experience. AS development evolved along the route I quit going. To me that just is not what that area should be about. It made me want to go there because it did not have things like the Pellissippi Parkway extension. It seems unnecessary and sad.

Average Guy's picture

Wish he would just go to K street

Submitted by Average Guy on Tue, 2008/02/19 - 11:53am.

and push back against wealthy land speculators (including Lamar Alexander) who want taxpayers to fund a tourist thruway to their new Blackberry Farm developments...

Alexander has been in state or federal politics for over 30 years. If providing people a place to stay in the mountains was so important to him, why did he never lift a finger to save Elkmont? (link...) (link...)

Thousands of visitors a year could have enjoyed what the select few get to enjoy at Blackberry. An historic treasure has been reduced to ruin under federal jurisdiction. Lamar has shown his true colors. Instead of helping the park on behalf of us all, he has decided to help himself to a windfall - as he already has a home in the mountains bordering the 3 Sisters property. I wonder how much campaign money has come from Lamar's 3 Sister business cronies over the years?

I've heard these jokers want to make the area like Jackson Hole, WY. Jackson Hole's land is 93% protected either thru national and state parks, preserves and reserves. They had leadership in that area that had foresight. The foresight Lamar and his cronies have is to save 3 sisters by putting homes on top of them. The Blount side of the Appalachian range is about to be whored out in a way not seen before. The PPE is the driveway to the brothel.

jbr's picture

"I wonder how much campaign

Submitted by jbr on Tue, 2008/02/19 - 11:23am.

"I wonder how much campaign money has come from Lamar's 3 Sister business cronies over the years?"

Maybe we can see here....

Donors by name
(link...)

Alexander's donors click on Lamar
(link...)

Some names of interest.

Average Guy's picture

The cozy relationship extends to DC

Submitted by Average Guy on Tue, 2008/02/19 - 11:40am.

Wow, Pilot and Ruby Tuesday are in the top ten. I'm shocked!

The real shame is, all this crap is out for the public to see. Although I doubt you'll see those statistics in Blount's local papers.

The other scary thing to me was number 2: Corrections Corp of America. How long do you think it's going to take before major lenders and credit companies start buying up these private prisons?

jbr's picture

Another resource I meant to

Submitted by jbr on Tue, 2008/02/19 - 11:42am.

Another resource I meant to list.

(link...)

On both resources you can look for individual donors. Like 'Haslam' for instance, etc.

Average Guy's picture

I guess that's why we don't

Submitted by Average Guy on Tue, 2008/02/19 - 11:52am.

I guess that's why we don't hear much about green fuels coming out of the Lamar camp.

jbr's picture

Does the road contractor

Submitted by jbr on Tue, 2008/02/19 - 1:49pm.

Does the road contractor building the extension also own properties in Townsend?

Average Guy's picture

Don't know

Submitted by Average Guy on Tue, 2008/02/19 - 1:57pm.

For a road that hasn't even had a completed Environmental Impact Statement, I would hope that a builder has not already been determined, but would not be surprised.

jbr's picture

With the money they spend on

Submitted by jbr on Wed, 2008/02/20 - 8:41pm.

With the money they spend on the extension helping some rich peoples property be more developed, or the $1 billion plus orange route as a bypass around one city, they could put intercity rail and the benefit would be for multiple cities, significantly more people, more energy efficient and reduce pollution exponentially.

It would be interesting to see a cost/benefit analysis between these road projects and intercity rail.

Comment viewing options

Select your preferred way to display the comments and click "Save settings" to activate your changes.

TN Progressive

TN Politics

Knox TN Today

Local TV News

News Sentinel

    State News

    Wire Reports

    Lost Medicaid Funding

    To date, the failure to expand Medicaid/TennCare has cost the State of Tennessee ? in lost federal funding. (Source)

    Search and Archives