Traffic light debate about Grigsby Chapel
Whether a traffic light at the intersection of St. John Court and Grigsby Chapel Road was necessary kept a few residents and Farragut Municipal Planning Commissioners debating for about an hour-and-a-half during FMPC’s meeting Thursday, Feb. 17.
The debate came on the heels of study findings by traffic engineer John Gould of CDM Smith, who said it showed a traffic light at Smith and Grigsby Chapel roads was warranted, but advised a light at St. John Court could cause traffic delays and accidents.
However, Prestwick Place resident Gary Steimer contended conditions at the St. John Court intersection currently are “unsafe.
“When are you going to stop kicking the can down the road?” he asked. “Last year, you had a study of St. John Court that showed 11 total warrants showed up. This time, you came up with two warrants (a condition an intersection must meet to obtain a traffic light, according to Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices).”
While Gould reported the traffic volume was high for such a street — from 11,830 for the southwest section to 15,690 for the northeast section prior to the school session, which increased from 12,520 for the southwest to 16,160 for the northeast when school was in session – he was surprised the accident rate was so low.
“We did an intensive accident history for the entire corridor,” he said, adding that report showed six accidents in a five-year period at St. John Court alone.
Gould said to recommend a traffic light, Tennessee Department of Transportation looks for eight-hour “warrants,” which his team did not find at that intersection.
“We like to follow TDOT’s recommendations on warrants,” Commissioner Noah Myers replied.
Bill Derbyshire, St. John Neumann Catholic School principal and SJN Catholic Church member, also contested Gould’s study.
“One thing I’m concerned about is speed at the school zone,” he said. “Where the speed detector was placed (by CDM Smith) was an awful long way from where our school zone is; and if any of you have been sitting at St. John Court during the school zone hours, cars go pretty fast through there.
“Was there any consideration for the speed (at) the school zones because, as a principal, my ultimate duty is to protect my children coming to school,” Derbyshire added. “Heaven forbid I lose one.”
He also reminded Commissioners about the church traffic as parishioners arrive to, and leave from, church.
“There was no mention whatsoever in that report about the church traffic at the four masses we have,” Derbyshire said.
Alderman Scott Meyer said he was surprised at CDM Smith’s recommendation to talk to Knox County Sheriff’s Office about having officers at the intersection.
“The schools are not responsible for safe schools; we are,” he added. “Who is going to be the crossing guard? … That’s not realistic.”
However, Joe Garman, St. John Court resident, opposed a traffic light at his street’s intersection, fearing it might cause accidents there.
While no action was taken, Commissioners did agree on a light at Smith and Grigsby Chapel roads, but were conflicted on St. John Court.
“I really think there is warrant for Smith Road to have a traffic light … but I’m hard-pressed to do something for the church for mass because I’ve had other churches ask for lights,” said Mayor Ron Williams, also a Commissioner. “I have police officers standing at Kingston Pike for the Baptist church (First Baptist Concord along Kingston Pike) when they have services.
“So to try to do something specifically for a church is not something I look at and say it’s a good idea,” he added. “But, for safety, it’s a different story. I think safety is what we’re looking at here.”
Considering at light at St. John Court would “take something to start with, and we don’t have that right now,” Williams said.
Town Community Development director Mark Shipley said the study was done after the Board of Mayor and Aldermen, during last year’s budget discussions, requested “consideration of ways to improve safety on Grigsby Chapel Road, particularly for motorists entering Fretz Road from adjoining side roads. In July 2021, the Town contracted with CDM Smith to do the study.
