Solway citizens, organization owners hope for targeted traffic gentle on Oak Ridge Freeway

SOLWAY, Tenn. (WATE) — Inhabitants and organization homeowners together Oak Ridge Freeway in Solway say targeted visitors throughout hurry hour can be a nightmare.

They consider the answer to resolve the nightmare would be a targeted traffic light-weight someplace along the freeway in their region.

Chip Hicks, a resident of Solway, reported he’s been dwelling close to that space of Knox County for most of his lifetime.

He stated the extend of Oak Ridge Freeway, coming off Pellissippi Parkway and heading towards Oak Ridge, or vice versa has a fitting nickname.

“It is the Solway 500,” Hicks said.

This is how Hicks clarifies the concern of striving to turn left on to the freeway, no subject which route another person is driving.

“I do not know if you know the recreation Frogger, but it is like white knuckle hoping to just get across halfway throughout this highway if you reside below,” Hicks claimed.

Hicks explained through hurry hour, he could simply hold out 20 minutes to switch still left out of his neighborhood if he was heading to Knoxville.

As a real estate agent, he knows prime authentic estate isn’t worthy of what it need to be, and enterprises are impacted negatively all mainly because of the heavy targeted visitors and no just one being able to convert left easily or safely and securely.

He reported individuals not dwelling or doing the job in the location battle as perfectly.

“All of Pellissippi Point out empties pretty much all of Pellissippi Condition empties out to Solway Street, which comes this way. And so occasionally, there is this line of traffic for fifty percent a mile back towards the faculty of individuals hoping to convert remaining,” Hicks said.

As far as firms, Bruce Flomberg, operator of D&B Very hot Canines, stated the traffic does make having more buyers a little more tough.

“People are like, ‘well, I would quit, but from my way home from function I’m fearful the moment I get off, it’s heading to be tough to get back again on,’” Flomberg said.

Even just after getting in the very same area for 7 many years, he still receives new buyers who had no notion his cafe was situated there off the highway.

“I’ll get that, ‘oh my gosh I did not know you ended up here this long,’ for the reason that they explained they really do not have time to consider a seem,” Flomberg said.

His restaurant has been equipped to get level of popularity and notoriety about the yrs for the foods, so customers have been in a position to make it to his parking good deal.

Flomberg reported buyers primarily make it when the website traffic is not as bad.

“You know, we have a big lunch hurry, and uh, individuals have time to cross the road and get in. Men and women can see us more mainly because the circulation is a minimal bit slower,” Flomberg said.

Flomberg reported acquiring motorists to go slower could aid.

If all people can function alongside one another and say, ‘hey, I know how it is, permit me just again off for a tiny little bit so people can movement.’ And if everyone could keep in mind that it would be a, it would be very good harmony,” Flomberg stated.

Having said that, Hicks explained velocity wasn’t the key challenge.

“If you put troopers out below all day prolonged, men and women will sluggish down, but there’s continue to not likely to be that break in targeted visitors,” Hicks claimed.

Both equally Flomberg and Hicks imagine a stoplight someplace alongside Oak Ridge in the Solway location would be helpful for all people.

It would at minimum develop a crack in visitors so individuals can turn left.

“We’d just like, like one traffic mild. Which is all we’re inquiring for. And it doesn’t have to operate like 24-7 as a website traffic gentle. It can be a flashing yellow most of the time. But through individuals peak hrs, if they could just give us 15 seconds just about every five minutes, that would be awesome,” Hicks said.

TDOT engineers have been operating on some sort of remedy to the traffic trouble in the location referred to as the Solway interchange.

According to Mark Nagi, spokesperson for TDOT, the proposed interchange would include the movement from Westbound SR 62 (Oak Ridge Freeway) onto Southbound SR 162 (Pellissippi Interchange).

“This movement is currently not attainable in the current interchange triggering motorists to have to make a U-turn alongside the stretch of the freeway in Solway.  This has brought on a lot of protection challenges and crashes as a final result,” Nagi wrote.

The proposed Solway interchange will also incorporate a fourth leg by tying in Solway Street from the west.

TDOT is coordinating with Knox County Public Is effective and Engineering as very well as the Knoxville MPO given that the county highway will be concerned.

“The overall intention of the challenge is to not only give a a lot more efficient and safer interchange but also to relieve the have to have for still left turns specifically on to or off of the freeway in this extend through the Solway Local community.  By directing the vast majority of the visitors via the interchange, these still left turns can be confined to area traffic and company access,” Nagi said.

Hicks mentioned he does not imagine the new interchange will resolve the overall problem.

He said site visitors quantity will even now be an problem for men and women dwelling a little additional from the interchange.