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Old 12-18-2023, 09:59 AM
 
13,350 posts, read 39,938,649 times
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T-DOT included a $193 million project to build an Interstate 40 truck climbing lane between Cookeville and Monterey in its new ten-year plan, announced Monday morning.

Work on the project would begin in 2029. T-DOT chose the project to “add capacity, address safety concerns, and serve freight movement to a section of rural interstate that can be difficult for trucks to navigate.”


All I can say is: It's about time. Someone told me (and this makes sense if it's true) that the stretch of I-40 between Cookeville and Monterey was one of the first built, way back in the 1960s when the standards were different, such that TDOT didn't consider a 3rd lane going up the mountain necessary. TDOT was wrong. To me, that is one of the most aggravating stretches of interstate in the nation. TDOT "fixed" the problem of slow trucks causing rolling roadblocks all the way up the mountain by putting up signs telling trucks to stay in the right lane. HA. They rarely follow that, and there's little to no enforcement. There will be a truck in the right lane poking along at 50mph, and another truck will swoop over into the left lane to pass, doing 50.01mph. All the way up the mountain.

Anyway, I'm glad that TDOT is finally going to add a 3rd lane.

In related news, TDOT is also planning on widening I-40 around the Jefferson Ave exit (287). I'm not sure what that means. Are they going to add a 3rd lane in both directions? Frankly, I-40 needs to be 3 lanes in each direction all the way between Baxter and Hwy 111, but that will probably never happen in my lifetime. A truck/3rd lane should also be added between Buffalo Valley (268) and Silver Point (273), but I'm sure that's way down TDOT's list of priorities.

Read more about it here:
https://newstalk941.com/monterey-tru...-10-year-plan/
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Last edited by JMT; 12-18-2023 at 02:15 PM..
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Old 12-19-2023, 08:49 AM
 
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Per the folks at TDOT, our state has more tonnage on its interstates when compared to all other states...yet no truck lane for I40 up Buffalo Valley in the then ten-year plan.....

What a joke...
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Old 12-21-2023, 03:00 PM
 
303 posts, read 294,500 times
Reputation: 619
Quote:
Originally Posted by JMT View Post
T-DOT included a $193 million project to build an Interstate 40 truck climbing lane between Cookeville and Monterey in its new ten-year plan, announced Monday morning.

Work on the project would begin in 2029. T-DOT chose the project to “add capacity, address safety concerns, and serve freight movement to a section of rural interstate that can be difficult for trucks to navigate.”


All I can say is: It's about time. Someone told me (and this makes sense if it's true) that the stretch of I-40 between Cookeville and Monterey was one of the first built, way back in the 1960s when the standards were different, such that TDOT didn't consider a 3rd lane going up the mountain necessary. TDOT was wrong. To me, that is one of the most aggravating stretches of interstate in the nation. TDOT "fixed" the problem of slow trucks causing rolling roadblocks all the way up the mountain by putting up signs telling trucks to stay in the right lane. HA. They rarely follow that, and there's little to no enforcement. There will be a truck in the right lane poking along at 50mph, and another truck will swoop over into the left lane to pass, doing 50.01mph. All the way up the mountain.

Anyway, I'm glad that TDOT is finally going to add a 3rd lane.

In related news, TDOT is also planning on widening I-40 around the Jefferson Ave exit (287). I'm not sure what that means. Are they going to add a 3rd lane in both directions? Frankly, I-40 needs to be 3 lanes in each direction all the way between Baxter and Hwy 111, but that will probably never happen in my lifetime. A truck/3rd lane should also be added between Buffalo Valley (268) and Silver Point (273), but I'm sure that's way down TDOT's list of priorities.

Read more about it here:
https://newstalk941.com/monterey-tru...-10-year-plan/

I've been saying it for years, but TDOT should have put in that truck lane to Monterey when they installed rock slide protection measures on the sides of the road however long ago it was. Now they'll have to tear all that out and re-do it.


For the third lane around Jefferson, I think they'd be wise to go ahead and widen the EB portion all the way to the truck lane going up the mountain.


Finally, for the Buffalo Valley portion up the hill, I think it will be needed at some point, but trucks camping out in the left lane isn't near the problem on that stretch as it is going to Monterey.
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Old 12-22-2023, 07:38 AM
 
1,115 posts, read 1,606,232 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by justindb29 View Post
Finally, for the Buffalo Valley portion up the hill, I think it will be needed at some point, but trucks camping out in the left lane isn't near the problem on that stretch as it is going to Monterey.
I drive it almost daily; it is a problem, and for it to not be included in the next ten years is ridiculous.
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Old 12-22-2023, 01:28 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tragenvol View Post
I drive it almost daily; it is a problem, and for it to not be included in the next ten years is ridiculous.

Fair enough. I drive it quite often myself, and I haven't seen the issue near as many times as I do on Monterey mountain.
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Old 12-23-2023, 09:04 AM
 
1,115 posts, read 1,606,232 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by justindb29 View Post
Fair enough. I drive it quite often myself, and I haven't seen the issue near as many times as I do on Monterey mountain.
Right, I didn't say it's more of a problem than up the mountain to Monterrey, but it's a significant issue nonetheless. Also, it's a shorter climb with wider access already available, and for it to not be included, is a joke.

When they first announced truck lane studies for both these stretches of interstate a few years back, it was apparent then it was going to be an either or i.e., prioritized between the two areas.
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Old 02-08-2024, 04:36 PM
 
13,350 posts, read 39,938,649 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tragenvol View Post
Right, I didn't say it's more of a problem than up the mountain to Monterrey, but it's a significant issue nonetheless. Also, it's a shorter climb with wider access already available, and for it to not be included, is a joke.

When they first announced truck lane studies for both these stretches of interstate a few years back, it was apparent then it was going to be an either or i.e., prioritized between the two areas.
George Halford interviewed Mark Odom, former executive for Highways Inc/Rogers Group, on Halford's radio show with 94.1, and Mark Odom said that he believes TDOT, based on his knowledge of TDOT and his contacts at TDOT, does plan on adding a truck lane on I-40 between Buffalo Valley and Silver Point. Frankly, I-40 should probably be widened to 3 lanes in each direction through all of Putnam County, but still it was encouraging to hear that. I just hope it happens in my lifetime.

https://newstalk941.com/local-matter...re-consultant/
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IMPORTANT READING:
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---
its - possession
it's - contraction of it is
your - possession
you're - contraction of you are
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there - referring to a place
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lose - opposite of win
who's - contraction of who is
whose - possession
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Old 02-08-2024, 08:56 PM
 
Location: Somewhere below Mason/Dixon
9,468 posts, read 10,794,806 times
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Terrible and dangerous stretch of road. Needs to be fixed faster than 5 years from now. Until then the law should be out ticketing the big trucks for not staying in the right lane as the signage says.
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Old 02-10-2024, 07:40 AM
 
229 posts, read 189,082 times
Reputation: 535
It says No Trucks in the right lane now. What's going to be different?
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