News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
The need for more truck climbing lanes dominated Thursday night’s discussion on the future of the Interstate 40 corridor.
Phase one of a 20-year plan for the roadway included comments from Putnam and Cumberland County residents Thursday night. The study will examine the current and future needs of the interstate. WSP USA serves as T-DOT’s consultant on the project. WSP’s Jeanne Stevens led the discussion.
“Certainly this study is going to recommend areas where we feel like operationally traffic could really benefit from being able to have cars pass trucks that are moving a lot more slowly,” Stevens said.
Stevens said truck lanes will not be easy between Cookeville and Crossville because of the limited space along the interstate.
“As soon as you start digging into the rocks, the rock starts falling,” Stevens said.
A recent transportation study conducted by Putnam County officials found installing additional truck-climbing lanes between Cookeville and Monterey stood as the top road priority in the county.
Other questions focused on expanding alternative transportation methods. Stevens said she witnessed the carpool lot off the Baxter exit remains full most days. She said her team would like to hear about expanding carpool or vanpool options between the Upper Cumberland and Nashville. She said long-trip service might also be considered. As for commuter line expansion, similar to what exists between Lebanon and Nashville, Stevens said things would need to change.
“It’s not that heavily used, I will say it’s gotten a lot better,” Stevens said. “The chances of that being expanded beyond Lebanon probably would depend partly on whether ridership increases on the part of the line that is already there.”
Stevens said the study will also examine the highways that feed into Interstate 40. She pointed to important projects such as widening of South Jefferson Avenue in Cookeville to five lanes, the widening of US 127 North between Crossville and Jamestown as well as Crossville’s Northwest Connector between two I-40 interchanges.
In addition to traffic flow, safety will also be an important of the 20-year study. Stevens noted some 3,000 crashes in the Cookeville-Crossville corridor with 27 fatalities over the last five years.
Thursday’s meeting concluded public comment in stage one of the project. Stevens said her team will look at the interstate’s current deficiencies and opportunities where the roadway can be improved while anticipating future needs. COVID-19 forced the final public meeting across the state to an online format. Meetings have been held statewide on the study which also includes Interstate 81 which stretches from the Sevierville area to the Tri Cities.
Interstate 40-81 spans 530 miles across Tennessee.
