letter to the editor
Thornton traffic-calming ways told
I commend the farragutpress for covering the speeding issues the residents of Thornton Heights have been experiencing. Speeding and careless driving within our neighborhoods is a pervasive and longstanding problem.
The tragic result of careless driving occurred in Thornton Heights on the first day of school when a child was struck by a vehicle. This tragedy was completely preventable had the driver exercised prudence while driving in Thornton Heights. I was made aware of how pervasive the speeding problem in our community is when I was walking the North Ward neighborhoods in 2016 and talking to residents.
In the years that I served on the Farragut Board of Mayor and Aldermen, I worked with residents to improve our traffic-calming policy to better serve the residents who are directly and negatively impacted by speeders. My fellow board members supported the amendments I brought to the Board to refine the traffic-calming policy.
Traffic-calming speed cushions are not imposed upon a neighborhood by the Town of Farragut. The neighborhood must apply for them. The neighborhood is encouraged to put together a traffic team to consult with the Town engineer.
The members of the traffic team understand the specific issues in their neighborhood and are in the best position to educate Town staff and elected officials about where problems exist so the speeding conditions in the neighborhood can be effectively analyzed.
It’s not as simple as acknowledging that a speeding problem exists and installing speed cushions. There are several aspects of installing speed cushions that must be considered. For example, speed cushions cannot be installed on stretches of road that have a grade above 8 percent — more ideally the grade should not exceed 6 percent.
Further, to maintain speed along the length of a road, engineering guidance states that speed cushions should be installed approximately every 400 feet to 600 feet. The ideal number of speed cushions may be more than the neighborhood wants or believes to be sufficient.
Also, a speed cushion may be proposed to be located in an awkward location, which is the case on Thornton Drive where a speed cushion makes it difficult for a resident to pull his RV out of his driveway.
The neighborhood’s traffic team plays a critical role in working through the many considerations to prepare a traffic-calming speed cushion installation plan. Ideally, the traffic team speaks to and educates their neighbors, and gathers resident input and feedback to formulate the speed cushion installation plan.
That plan is discussed during a public meeting to provide an opportunity to refine it. Once finalized, the speed cushion installation plan is then sent out to the residents who reside in the designated speed zone for a vote. A simple majority of 50 percent plus one is needed to approve the plan.
Once a speed cushion installation plan is approved by the neighborhood, the plan is presented to the (Farragut Municipal) Planning Commission for review and a vote of recommendation to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen.
During my term of service to the Town, every request for traffic calming that came to the Board was funded.
Louise Povlin, Farragut
Former Town vice mayor
