Why are the county roads so poor in western Putnam County? (Nashville-Davidson: 2015, construction)

[Sun Belt-lover L.A.M.]

For example, Martin Creek Road and Ensor Hollow are, according to this article https://putnamcountytn.gov/sites/def...PolicyPlan.pdf, Collector Roads (a main road on a local scale). I've even been riding around on Martin Creek and, especially during peak hours, encountering several opposite-direction cars on the road in a single trip is very easy to do. Yet, they're still not asphalt with lines, and Martin Creek is even downright narrow and dangerous (encounters around those blind curves are scary!)

Additionally, there are no good roads connecting U.S. 70N to I-40 Exit 268. There is Rock Spring Road, but it's been neglected horribly in recent years, and Speed Limit 25 signs were put up on it last year when it can clearly support much higher speed. They've also not bothered extending some of those dead-end ridge roads to Indian Creek and widening it to support their traffic, which would be the most direct and localized option. Lastly, if they're unwilling to do something about Rock Spring or Indian Creek, they could improve Stanton Road and the small part of Indian Creek from Stanton to Hopewell; they'd only have to scrape soil, lay wider gravel and add the asphalt and lines to widen Stanton, and the part of Indian Creek in question would only be about a mile of reconstruction required. They'll have to do something about this soon or face a dire situation, especially if Exit 268 develops and/or Metro Nashville and Murfreesboro keep growing. S.R. 96 goes out of the way by over a mile compared to both Rock Spring and Stanton.

Another idea that hasn't even been considered but should be is a direct connector from Indian Creek to Old Baxter, maybe even Elmore Town to make it more direct, assuming they widen Indian Creek and extend those ridge roads. Tightfit is curvy and indirect, and U.S. 70N is very busy despite the problems arising on it and easy alternative of taking Buffalo Valley. They could build a direct connector between Indian Creek and Old Baxter if they gradually follow the upper valley of Indian Creek uphill. The lack of a third major east-west route across the county could be a terrible problem one day, and the county could surely build one themselves if the state doesn't and pieces already exist.

What do you think? I personally believe it's madness, almost a nightmare, that a nearly-metropolitan county is still neglecting some of the nooks and crannies away from the center when the solutions are simple and much-needed!

As always, discuss away!

[Sun Belt-lover L.A.M.]

UPDATE: The PCHD has been repainting lines on many of its county roads. I noticed Hopewell and Rock Spring to be among them, so now the only really neglectful things about Rock Spring are the unnecessarily low speed limit and pavement itself being somewhat rough. I would edit the OP to add this, but I don't see the button for it despite looking several times.

[Jumeby]

Roads are not bad at all.

[Wileykid]

Originally Posted by Jumeby

Roads are not bad at all.

I have to agree with this. I have lived in SoCal, Tx, and now Tenn, and the roads around here are pretty dang good, especially compared to California. I ride my motorcycle around the country, and have been impressed with the conditions here in middle Tenn. Sure there is a good amount of roads in poor shape, but on the whole, for the taxes we pay, I am impressed.

[Sun Belt-lover L.A.M.]

I do have to agree that it's good compared to some other states, but even the relatively developed Sun Belt states like Tennessee, Texas and Arizona still have places they're behind. Highway departments probably just don't hire more workers quite quickly enough to keep up with the growth. Similarly, Putnam County is good compared to a place like Cumberland County or Clay County, but they're still well behind in one place: the west (i.e. west of S.R. 56 and Old Baxter Road).

I've heard people complain about Ditty Road (which isn't in the west), even my own father - and I agree that is awful - but the state already plans to do something about that when they build that part of the Cookeville bypass, basically by upgrading and rebuilding it and Cowan Road like they did Gainesboro Grade years ago. So the county probably won't have to worry about that.

If all else fails, I wonder if it might help for Cookeville and Putnam County to propose becoming a consolidated city-county, like Nashville-Davidson, Lynchburg-Moore and Hartsville-Trousdale did? That way, the local governments and funds would be merged and shared.

[Wileykid]

Roads for the most part, will always be behind in capacity for a developing area. The amount of time that it takes to develop a plan, map it, go through the court for right of ways, and general gubberment red tape, means roads currently being built are generally 5-10 years behind in capacity.

Funny thing, in SoCal, I was talking to a road engineer for the state about a new addition and expansion on a freeway. He was laughing as the traffic capacity for all the new stuff, was for the projected amount of cars for 2005, not 2019. The capacity for 2015 was still in the planning stages, still at least 5 years out for building. Same with a road I know of in Texas. It is over capacity now, and they are still presenting routes to the public for comment on a size that will be only able to handle 2/3 the capacity of what the projected vehicle traffic will be when it is finally built. And these are states that have a healthy road budget.

[Sun Belt-lover L.A.M.]

UPDATE: That road segment that wasn't repaired soon enough and led to numerous complaints was repaired recently. It took two years after repairing the rest and initially planning to repair it, but they widened it and converted it from chipseal to asphalt.

Thus, progress has been made this year. However, I still stand by my original statement that, "I personally believe it's madness, almost a nightmare, that a nearly-metropolitan county is still neglecting some of the nooks and crannies away from the center when the solutions are simple and much-needed!"

P.S.: Discussion is still welcomed.

[llsmith42]

Great. Now I can sleep better.