TDOT Kills Orange Route (Memphis, Knoxville: inspections, live in, price)

[hiknapster]

It's gone. Bye. C-ya.

TDOT kills Orange Route » Knoxville News Sentinel

[weisgarber1]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

It's gone. Bye. C-ya.

TDOT kills Orange Route » Knoxville News Sentinel

What is needed, instead of a bypass such as this, imho, is a circular beltway around the outskirts of the county, as most larger cities have. It would be costly, but it would funnel traffic into the surrounding counties as well as be a bypass. But, that may be too pragmatic, not to mention that funding for anything these days, especially large projects, is problematic.

[anothertntony]

I've not really followed the Orange Route debates, but people generally seem to be against it. Why is that? There doesn't seem to be much chance of reducing air pollution in Knoxville if they can't divert some of the cars.

[Kitties of Domination]

Originally Posted by anothertntony

I've not really followed the Orange Route debates, but people generally seem to be against it. Why is that? There doesn't seem to be much chance of reducing air pollution in Knoxville if they can't divert some of the cars.

These are the type of people that are against anything. Change is scary to a portion of the east TN population. Two words: emissions testing.

[airwair]

Emissions testing wouldn't fly without a riot.

I've heard my father (embarrassing as it is) and other members of my family say that they'll die before they ever have inspections on their car. Whether they plan to move away to somewhere that doesn't do it or start an all out battle, I couldn't say.

I, for one, live in a place where emissions testing is required and it doesn't bother me in the slightest. It's nice not passing cars that are belching so much smoke and fumes they look to be on actual fire on a daily basis.

[Beretta]

Make sure to read the article. It is not being done because of money. The cost of the project came in at 1 billion which was a tremendous amount more than the projected cost of 500 million.

As a native Tennessean I am all for anything that takes the 18 wheelers out of Knoxville (no thanks to Jake Butcher).

[weisgarber1]

Originally Posted by Beretta

Make sure to read the article. It is not being done because of money. The cost of the project came in at 1 billion which was a tremendous amount more than the projected cost of 500 million.

As a native Tennessean I am all for anything that takes the 18 wheelers out of Knoxville (no thanks to Jake Butcher).

Yes it is because of money, at least indirectly. Nicely, the DOT Commish, stated on a local news report that more recent traffic count studies indicated the traffic flow would be quite a bit less than the first traffic flow studies. The net result of that would be that the project would be even less cost effective, in effect making it more expensive. So, less usage and a costlier project, not to mention the local resistance to the project, put it in the freezer. But, traffic is not going to decrease, and this issue will probably raise its head again, depending on growth, although maybe not this same route.

http://www.wate.com/Global/story.asp?S=12697852

[Beretta]

I have said it before and I will say it again. It will take an unfortunate, huge disaster on I-40 for the powers that be wake up and re-direct commercial traffic around and not through Knoxville.

The lost business, clean-up, etc. of the disaster will make the 1 billion price tag quoted in the article to seem like chump change.

[JMT]

Originally Posted by Beretta

I have said it before and I will say it again. It will take an unfortunate, huge disaster on I-40 for the powers that be wake up and re-direct commercial traffic around and not through Knoxville.

The lost business, clean-up, etc. of the disaster will make the 1 billion price tag quoted in the article to seem like chump change.

I agree. The way I-75 is diverted through the city is ridiculous, particularly where I-75 splits off from I-640 north of downtown. That's an intersection that's just waiting for a colossal pile-up.

It took a massive fireball of a wreck to get the state to finally redo the I-40/I-240 mess in downtown Memphis, and it's now a breeze. I hope the state won't wait until something similar happens before fixing the I-75/I-640 blunder in North Knoxville.

Then maybe when that intersection is finally improved they can start requiring tractor-trailer I-40 through traffic to use I-640 and leave I-40 downtown for cars and local traffic.

But one thing's for sure. The only truly guaranteed job in Tennessee is as a road builder.

[Beretta]

Originally Posted by JMT

I agree. The way I-75 is diverted through the city is ridiculous, particularly where I-75 splits off from I-640 north of downtown. That's an intersection that's just waiting for a colossal pile-up.

It took a massive fireball of a wreck to get the state to finally redo the I-40/I-240 mess in downtown Memphis, and it's now a breeze. I hope the state won't wait until something similar happens before fixing the I-75/I-640 blunder in North Knoxville.

Then maybe when that intersection is finally improved they can start requiring tractor-trailer I-40 through traffic to use I-640 and leave I-40 downtown for cars and local traffic.

But one thing's for sure. The only truly guaranteed job in Tennessee is as a road builder.

Agree and Amen.