letter to the editor
Long-term solutions to Farragut traffic issues according to Town vice mayor
The continued lament that the only way to solve congestion issues at the Kingston Pike/Campbell Station Road intersection is to expand it by adding turn lanes is shortsighted. Expanding that intersection would be detrimental to the long-term well-being of the Town of Farragut.
Induced demand indicates that expanding intersections to cure congestion has the opposite effect by attracting more traffic. In time, congestion levels return to similar levels as before the intersection expansion. Inviting even more traffic traveling through the heart of our Town is not solving the problem and would be detrimental to pedestrian safety by lengthening pedestrian crossing distances and would adversely affect the unique sense of place the Town has long envisioned and worked to establish.
There are other options to improve conditions in the heart of our Town, which include improving efficiency at the intersection and diverting traffic from the heart of our Town via a connected and improved street network.
The new traffic-light system that is now in the process of being installed will provide the Town with the flexibility to explore a more efficient intersection. For example, there will be an opportunity to fine tune the timing of the traffic lights given the time of day or if traffic from the often-congested Interstate is using Kingston Pike as a bypass. Also, an opportunity to reassign the existing lanes to allow for left turns from the center lanes for northbound and southbound Campbell Station Road could be explored.
Since its founding more than 40 years ago, the Town of Farragut has consistently funded improvements to our transportation network to establish a well-connected and safe street network, which distributes traffic over a broad network giving drivers a variety of ways to get where they want to go. The future development of the Ford property will connect Municipal Center Drive with Jamestowne Boulevard and will require that traffic lights be installed at both ends of Jamestowne Boulevard.
There are solutions for our congestion issues that are beyond our borders as well. For example, TDOT has acknowledged that the weigh stations on I-40/75 need to be relocated, which would remove the tractor trailer traffic running through our Town to bypass the weigh stations. Further, a fourth lane on I-40/75 extending from Lovell Road to the I-40/75 split is needed, which will be possible with the upcoming improvements to the Campbell Station Road and Watt Road interchanges. Improvements to the state’s portion of Northshore Drive are needed.
Knox County needs to improve Loop Road/Woody Drive and their portion of Northshore Drive. Improvements to those roads would take traffic off Farragut roads. In FY 2022, Knox County property owners in the Town of Farragut paid in excess of $31 million in property taxes to Knox County, which is more than 10 percent of total property taxes collected by Knox County. We generate a lot of revenue for Knox County; it’s time that Farragut residents push back on Knox County Government to improve their roads in southwest Knox County. It’s time that Farragut residents push back on the Knox County Sheriff’s Office to provide the services we need, including speed and noise enforcement.
The Town of Farragut has been successful in establishing a beautiful high-quality residential community through very thoughtful and intentional planning. Instead of implementing short-sighted solutions, through the years the Town leaders have consistently looked to the long-term impacts when making decisions. We should not sacrifice the heart of our Town to increased volumes of traffic to resolve congestion issues.
Vice Mayor Louise Povlin, Town of Farragut
