Town Center traffic now an ongoing concern
As we head into the second half of summer, many parents, teachers and students are starting to prepare for another school year. Our respite of less morning and afternoon traffic along Kingston Pike will soon be coming to an end as well.
Those that have to traverse across the Town Center area are already planning for the extra time to get through the area as they head to work, the gym or just out to do their daily errands.
Recently a resident filmed the amount of time it took him to make a left turn off of South Campbell Station onto Kingston Pike (westbound) at around 4:30 p.m. on a weekday. His video shows it took approximately four minutes (240 seconds) from the time he entered the left turn lane at Municipal Center Drive.
Back in 2020, the Biddle Farm Traffic Study estimated that by 2025 the delay time through this intersection would be 101.1 seconds. That delay garnered a Level of Service grade of F (failing).
This estimate accounted for the optimized signal timing currently being installed. So, in the summer of 2024, the left turn delay is already more than twice the predicted delay time for 2025, which was already failing. What will that time be when school is in, the businesses are open and the apartments are leased?
Today, much is being made about the new traffic management system currently being installed. No doubt this system will help improve traffic flow.
As we can see, it is not the end all-be-all solution. The intersection is still failing during peak travel times with the predicted 101.1-second delay. If you add in double left-turn lanes, the afternoon delay becomes 51.2 seconds garnering a grade of D for Level of Service, a passing score.
That is still not good, but it is much better. Seems consideration to add these additional lanes would be a priority for the Town of Farragut. It is not. The current administration has pushed any discussion off until at least 2026.
Why? A couple of main reasons have been given; wider intersections negatively impact walkability and a wider intersection will take away from the character of the area. A key goal of Biddle Farms is to attract Farragut residents and those from surrounding communities into the area for shopping and dining.
Most (90-plus percent) will need to drive to get there. Creating traffic back ups will deter people from coming to the area. The character of the “Town Center” was changed when the iconic entrance on Main Street was removed and the buildings were pushed towards the curb.
While there is a block that has shops on either side, what was built hardly resembles what the community planned in 2012.
It seems our current Board of Mayor and Aldermen are more concerned with aesthetics, walkability and not functionality for traffic.
I have the luxury of not having to travel this area during peak times. I am not a parent who sits in the longs lines on Kingston Pike and Concord Road to drop off or pick up kids from school or those that have to navigate through this traffic to get somewhere else.
How long will it take to focus on functionality over aesthetics? Perhaps when the Biddle Farm businesses complain that their customers won’t come because of the traffic, someone in government will finally listen.
Until then parents set your alarm a few minutes early.
Michael Wilson, Farragut
