Tuesday, December 06, 2005
Farragut needs new traffic lights
Having watched the Farragut Board of Mayor and Aldermen during its meeting Thursday, Nov. 10 on Channel 3 on the local Charter cable television I was disappointed in the prospects for badly needed traffic signals in West Farragut.
From the presentation by TDOT in the BOMA it appears that Everett Road will be the next intersection on Kingston Pike to receive a traffic signal but this is many years away. First the Town of Farragut must build a turn lane on Everett Road, which is not scheduled to begin until summer of 2006 with completion in 2007. Darryl Smith the Farragut Town Engineer was quoted in the Farragut Press, "he’s confident of having signal light there within the next couple of years after that".
Just great.
Wonderful.
It is clear that there is no sense of urgency by the Town of Farragut to accelerate the process to get the traffic light at Everett Road. However, there is a sense of urgency to create the Watt Road connector. This road will extend Watt Road past the Icearium and Little Joe's Pizza and connect to Old Stage Road. It is not wanted by the residents that live in the Old Stage Road community. They have protested this road for years. Months ago this community was told it would be years before the Watt Road Connector would be considered. Then very quietly funds were approved to do the engineering study. Why does Mayor Eddy Ford want to build so many expensive roads?
The creation of the Watt Road connector will also doom any chance of a traffic light at Kingston Pike and Old Stage Road. The Watt Road Connector is said to be the answer to moving traffic from McFee Road and Old Stage Road. It is simple, to go east you must first go half a mile west and then drive down Watt Road past all the truck stops and get onto the Interstate to go east to Knoxville.
This is the same thinking that was used to create the 9.2 million dollar Campbell Station Bypass, er, Connector. To go east first you must go west and then go through two school zones. This is the only logic that supports the tens of millions of dollars Farragut spends on roads. In Farragut if you want to go east first you must go west.
Do these new roads make travel in Farragut any safer? Not really.
What could be done to make road travel safer in the Town of Farragut?
First, do what I recommended four months ago. Build a second left turn lane at Kingston Pike and Lovell Road. Second, find someone that can provide some leadership in the Farragut Board of Mayor and Aldermen. This town is suffering from a leadership vacuum.
This Town needs traffic lights at Everett Road, Old Stage Road, and Virtue Road. We need them today. Not years from now.
From the presentation by TDOT in the BOMA it appears that Everett Road will be the next intersection on Kingston Pike to receive a traffic signal but this is many years away. First the Town of Farragut must build a turn lane on Everett Road, which is not scheduled to begin until summer of 2006 with completion in 2007. Darryl Smith the Farragut Town Engineer was quoted in the Farragut Press, "he’s confident of having signal light there within the next couple of years after that".
Just great.
Wonderful.
It is clear that there is no sense of urgency by the Town of Farragut to accelerate the process to get the traffic light at Everett Road. However, there is a sense of urgency to create the Watt Road connector. This road will extend Watt Road past the Icearium and Little Joe's Pizza and connect to Old Stage Road. It is not wanted by the residents that live in the Old Stage Road community. They have protested this road for years. Months ago this community was told it would be years before the Watt Road Connector would be considered. Then very quietly funds were approved to do the engineering study. Why does Mayor Eddy Ford want to build so many expensive roads?
The creation of the Watt Road connector will also doom any chance of a traffic light at Kingston Pike and Old Stage Road. The Watt Road Connector is said to be the answer to moving traffic from McFee Road and Old Stage Road. It is simple, to go east you must first go half a mile west and then drive down Watt Road past all the truck stops and get onto the Interstate to go east to Knoxville.
This is the same thinking that was used to create the 9.2 million dollar Campbell Station Bypass, er, Connector. To go east first you must go west and then go through two school zones. This is the only logic that supports the tens of millions of dollars Farragut spends on roads. In Farragut if you want to go east first you must go west.
Do these new roads make travel in Farragut any safer? Not really.
What could be done to make road travel safer in the Town of Farragut?
First, do what I recommended four months ago. Build a second left turn lane at Kingston Pike and Lovell Road. Second, find someone that can provide some leadership in the Farragut Board of Mayor and Aldermen. This town is suffering from a leadership vacuum.
This Town needs traffic lights at Everett Road, Old Stage Road, and Virtue Road. We need them today. Not years from now.
Comments:
<< Home
Talk about not being in touch with the people. They want traffic lights so the Mayor gives them more roads and more sprawl. That's what you get when you neglect to vote.
# posted by 
: 3:17 PM, December 06, 2005
: 3:17 PM, December 06, 2005
I agree the Watt Road connector is the dumbest idea yet. We need the traffic light at Old Stage but I do not understand how the Watt Road connector makes any difference on getting the Old Stage Road traffic light.
# posted by : 4:53 PM, December 06, 2005
: 4:53 PM, December 06, 2005
Why does Mayor Eddy Ford want to build so many expensive roads?
Why indeed? Hmmm.
Bill
Why indeed? Hmmm.
Bill
# posted by : 5:54 PM, December 06, 2005
: 5:54 PM, December 06, 2005
In Farragut if you want to go east first you must go west.
lol. Only in Farragut.
lol. Only in Farragut.
# posted by : 9:37 PM, December 06, 2005
: 9:37 PM, December 06, 2005
I am curious about why so many roads are being built in Farragut. This logic of having to go west when you want to go east is nuts.
The best thing that could happen in Farragut is the addition of the second left turn lane at Lovell Road. The Farragut paper wrote about that several times last year.
Since Knox County Mayor Mike Ragsdale lives in Farragut you would think this project would have been done on day one.
What is going on? This is very poor government on the part of both Farragut and Knox County.
Bob
The best thing that could happen in Farragut is the addition of the second left turn lane at Lovell Road. The Farragut paper wrote about that several times last year.
Since Knox County Mayor Mike Ragsdale lives in Farragut you would think this project would have been done on day one.
What is going on? This is very poor government on the part of both Farragut and Knox County.
Bob
# posted by : 5:07 PM, December 08, 2005
: 5:07 PM, December 08, 2005
We're stuck with the elected officials we have, so I wouldn't look to them to act in the best interests of anyone other than themselves.
I would suggest two things. First, make some noise. Call them. Write them. Be a thorn in their side. Go to the meetings and speak. Demand information in writing. Send them lots of questions and demand answers (credible, legitimate questions, not just filler). File requests under Tenn's "sunshine" laws. Get the Homeowner's Associations involved. And not just once--pester them over and over and over. There's the danger that you'll be written off as a crank, but it's also true that those who complain loudly but intelligently get heard. Hell, start a recall petition for E. Ford--at least you could probably get some local press coverage. Organize a protest at the Courthouse (get a permit first).
Second, you have to find out who or what they fear and play that card. For instance, I had a problem with my bank. The bank cheated me and was infuriatingly indifferent to my concerns. I wrote the federal banking regulators and laid out my case clearly and concisely. Within days, the bank president himself called me and apologized profusely. A refund of a disputed amount of money was hand delivered to my home.
Part of the problem in Farragut is that the elected officials are comfortable, fearing no one. Another part of the problem is the "good ol' boy" network that ignores anyone but the in crowd. I don't know who they fear, but when I find out, that's where I'll put my attention. As it stands now, they certainly don't fear the voters. Maybe there's a State office that should take a look at the way business is done in Farragut.
I would suggest two things. First, make some noise. Call them. Write them. Be a thorn in their side. Go to the meetings and speak. Demand information in writing. Send them lots of questions and demand answers (credible, legitimate questions, not just filler). File requests under Tenn's "sunshine" laws. Get the Homeowner's Associations involved. And not just once--pester them over and over and over. There's the danger that you'll be written off as a crank, but it's also true that those who complain loudly but intelligently get heard. Hell, start a recall petition for E. Ford--at least you could probably get some local press coverage. Organize a protest at the Courthouse (get a permit first).
Second, you have to find out who or what they fear and play that card. For instance, I had a problem with my bank. The bank cheated me and was infuriatingly indifferent to my concerns. I wrote the federal banking regulators and laid out my case clearly and concisely. Within days, the bank president himself called me and apologized profusely. A refund of a disputed amount of money was hand delivered to my home.
Part of the problem in Farragut is that the elected officials are comfortable, fearing no one. Another part of the problem is the "good ol' boy" network that ignores anyone but the in crowd. I don't know who they fear, but when I find out, that's where I'll put my attention. As it stands now, they certainly don't fear the voters. Maybe there's a State office that should take a look at the way business is done in Farragut.
Part of the problem in Farragut is that the elected officials are comfortable, fearing no one. Another part of the problem is the "good ol' boy" network that ignores anyone but the in crowd.
Nail on head. I don't think a recall of Mayor Ford is such a bad idea. Since hardly anyone voted it wouldn't take much to accomplish. Maybe then we would have a more responsive government.
It worked in California, why not here?
John L.
Post a Comment
Nail on head. I don't think a recall of Mayor Ford is such a bad idea. Since hardly anyone voted it wouldn't take much to accomplish. Maybe then we would have a more responsive government.
It worked in California, why not here?
John L.
# posted by : 9:00 PM, December 14, 2005
: 9:00 PM, December 14, 2005<< Home
