Comments on: Traffic congestion heading out of town in the p.m. http://ellensmith.org/blog/2010/02/26/traffic-congestion-heading-out-of-town-in-the-p-m/ I'm Ellen Smith, member of the Oak Ridge City Council. Thank you for visiting my blog and reading my views on public and private life in and around Oak Ridge, Tennessee. This website is my own; content here does not represent the official policies or views of the City of Oak Ridge. To add your own comments, click on the topic title to open a comment box. To read posts about a particular topic, scroll down to "Categories" (in the sidebar) or use the "Search" box in the sidebar. Look under "Archives" to see collections of past posts organized by date. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:38:11 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Alan Stagg http://ellensmith.org/blog/2010/02/26/traffic-congestion-heading-out-of-town-in-the-p-m/comment-page-1/#comment-40434 Alan Stagg Mon, 31 Jan 2011 21:29:29 +0000 http://ellensmith.org/blog/?p=386#comment-40434 Ellen, thank you very much for looking into this. I will look forward to resolution of this annoying and potentially serious problem, hopefully before an accident forces the issue. Ellen, thank you very much for looking into this. I will look forward to resolution of this annoying and potentially serious problem, hopefully before an accident forces the issue.

]]> By: Ellen Smith http://ellensmith.org/blog/2010/02/26/traffic-congestion-heading-out-of-town-in-the-p-m/comment-page-1/#comment-40433 Ellen Smith Mon, 31 Jan 2011 19:59:43 +0000 http://ellensmith.org/blog/?p=386#comment-40433 I got an answer for you, Alan. this is from Chris Patton at ORNL: That intersection and adjoining stretches of road are owned and managed by the state. ORNL has no jurisdiction to install a stoplight there. However, ORNL has been communicating with the state in an attempt to have them address the issue. In fact, ORNL recently conducted traffic flow studies there in order to make a good case and justify the need for some type of modifications. The results of the study have been received, and ORNL is preparing to communicate with the state to express our concerns and request the issue be addressed. In the meantime, the Safety Services Division continues to publish safety information about this, and other intersections. I got an answer for you, Alan. this is from Chris Patton at ORNL:

That intersection and adjoining stretches of road are owned and managed by the state. ORNL has no jurisdiction to install a stoplight there. However, ORNL has been communicating with the state in an attempt to have them address the issue. In fact, ORNL recently conducted traffic flow studies there in order to make a good case and justify the need for some type of modifications.

The results of the study have been received, and ORNL is preparing to communicate with the state to express our concerns and request the issue be addressed. In the meantime, the Safety Services Division continues to publish safety information about this, and other intersections.

]]> By: Ellen Smith http://ellensmith.org/blog/2010/02/26/traffic-congestion-heading-out-of-town-in-the-p-m/comment-page-1/#comment-40424 Ellen Smith Fri, 21 Jan 2011 20:07:39 +0000 http://ellensmith.org/blog/?p=386#comment-40424 Alan, I can't say "why this hasn't been done," so I posted your question at <a href="http://sustainability-ornl.org/issues/questions" rel="nofollow">http://sustainability-ornl.org/issues/questions</a>. The question probably won't appear on that page for a couple of days (a moderator needs to approve it first), but I'll be interested in seeing if we get an answer! Alan, I can’t say “why this hasn’t been done,” so I posted your question at http://sustainability-ornl.org/issues/questions. The question probably won’t appear on that page for a couple of days (a moderator needs to approve it first), but I’ll be interested in seeing if we get an answer!

]]> By: Alan Stagg http://ellensmith.org/blog/2010/02/26/traffic-congestion-heading-out-of-town-in-the-p-m/comment-page-1/#comment-40423 Alan Stagg Fri, 21 Jan 2011 18:05:27 +0000 http://ellensmith.org/blog/?p=386#comment-40423 The traffic jam at Bethel Valley Road and Hwy 95 could be greatly improved by putting a light at this intersection. This would allow drivers leaving the lab and turning left onto 95 to turn without stopping when the light is green. This is such an obvious problem, and the solution is equally obvious. Why has this not been done? The traffic jam at Bethel Valley Road and Hwy 95 could be greatly improved by putting a light at this intersection. This would allow drivers leaving the lab and turning left onto 95 to turn without stopping when the light is green. This is such an obvious problem, and the solution is equally obvious. Why has this not been done?

]]> By: Rob Gunter http://ellensmith.org/blog/2010/02/26/traffic-congestion-heading-out-of-town-in-the-p-m/comment-page-1/#comment-40130 Rob Gunter Mon, 15 Mar 2010 17:21:03 +0000 http://ellensmith.org/blog/?p=386#comment-40130 Greetings All, I have had discussion with people interested in putting in a parking lot to let people ride their bikes into the Lab. It would be AWESOME if we could incorporate this into a bicycle path plan for the entirety of Oak Ridge. Also, for most people the taxes are only marginally (if at all) higher if they live in Knoxville. Face it folks, taxes on Oak Ridge, though high for the region, are laughable on a National scale. Besides there are plenty of low cost homes in Oak Ridge. Low cost X high(?) tax rate = low taxes..... Greetings All, I have had discussion with people interested in putting in a parking lot to let people ride their bikes into the Lab. It would be AWESOME if we could incorporate this into a bicycle path plan for the entirety of Oak Ridge. Also, for most people the taxes are only marginally (if at all) higher if they live in Knoxville. Face it folks, taxes on Oak Ridge, though high for the region, are laughable on a National scale. Besides there are plenty of low cost homes in Oak Ridge. Low cost X high(?) tax rate = low taxes…..

]]> By: Tom http://ellensmith.org/blog/2010/02/26/traffic-congestion-heading-out-of-town-in-the-p-m/comment-page-1/#comment-40125 Tom Wed, 03 Mar 2010 08:57:55 +0000 http://ellensmith.org/blog/?p=386#comment-40125 Maybe folks don't live in Oak Ridge for other reasons than just the cost (reason enough)? How about an insular community, arrogantly steeped in its own "greatness & indispensability", and simply stuck-up? Maybe some of us just want to get back to the "real world" of #1. a bigger metro where normal folks hang out, or #2. our own private refuge out in the country, with some solitude away from over-educated & over-paid big egos? Why don't you sinecured guys stop making excuses and just build out more & better roads to your little kingdom? Maybe folks don’t live in Oak Ridge for other reasons than just the cost (reason enough)? How about an insular community, arrogantly steeped in its own “greatness & indispensability”, and simply stuck-up?

Maybe some of us just want to get back to the “real world” of #1. a bigger metro where normal folks hang out, or #2. our own private refuge out in the country, with some solitude away from over-educated & over-paid big egos?

Why don’t you sinecured guys stop making excuses and just build out more & better roads to your little kingdom?

]]> By: Lois Martin http://ellensmith.org/blog/2010/02/26/traffic-congestion-heading-out-of-town-in-the-p-m/comment-page-1/#comment-40124 Lois Martin Tue, 02 Mar 2010 00:27:23 +0000 http://ellensmith.org/blog/?p=386#comment-40124 If my memory serves me correct, Peggy Hanrahan had a bulletin board about 8-10 years ago in Solway that said "If you lived in Oak Ridge, you would be home by now". One argument that is made against Oak Ridge is that taxes are higher. Even if it's true, people need to consider the gov't mileage rate multiplied by the miles they commute to Oak Ridge. The $$$ spent commuting is far greater than any tax difference. People often look at the price of gas only when factoring the cost of their commute, using the gov't mileage reimbursement rate is far more accurate. The hard part is presenting that argument in a snazzy, graphical, easy to understand manner. If my memory serves me correct, Peggy Hanrahan had a bulletin board about 8-10 years ago in Solway that said “If you lived in Oak Ridge, you would be home by now”.

One argument that is made against Oak Ridge is that taxes are higher. Even if it’s true, people need to consider the gov’t mileage rate multiplied by the miles they commute to Oak Ridge. The $$$ spent commuting is far greater than any tax difference. People often look at the price of gas only when factoring the cost of their commute, using the gov’t mileage reimbursement rate is far more accurate.

The hard part is presenting that argument in a snazzy, graphical, easy to understand manner.

]]> By: Ellen Smith http://ellensmith.org/blog/2010/02/26/traffic-congestion-heading-out-of-town-in-the-p-m/comment-page-1/#comment-40123 Ellen Smith Mon, 01 Mar 2010 18:01:37 +0000 http://ellensmith.org/blog/?p=386#comment-40123 Thanks for the information, Gary. I look forward to those intelligent transportation options. Thanks for the information, Gary. I look forward to those intelligent transportation options.

]]> By: Gary Gilmartin http://ellensmith.org/blog/2010/02/26/traffic-congestion-heading-out-of-town-in-the-p-m/comment-page-1/#comment-40122 Gary Gilmartin Mon, 01 Mar 2010 17:44:20 +0000 http://ellensmith.org/blog/?p=386#comment-40122 Our Energy Corridor Transportation Project is intending to to reduce the congestion, particularly with Intelligent Transportation Demonstrations but all folks should be aware that it is a fully integrated project with Walk, Bike, Park (solar charging) and ride options. One of the discussion items during our last meeting was how it will allow folks to "keep" their parking spots and still ride into Oak Ridge from ORNL and Y12 for lunch and hopefully to shop a bit. It's hard to argue with enabling the 9000+ folks to visit the city for an hour or so at lunch or during the day. Our Energy Corridor Transportation Project is intending to to reduce the congestion, particularly with Intelligent Transportation Demonstrations but all folks should be aware that it is a fully integrated project with Walk, Bike, Park (solar charging) and ride options. One of the discussion items during our last meeting was how it will allow folks to “keep” their parking spots and still ride into Oak Ridge from ORNL and Y12 for lunch and hopefully to shop a bit. It’s hard to argue with enabling the 9000+ folks to visit the city for an hour or so at lunch or during the day.

]]> By: Ellen Smith http://ellensmith.org/blog/2010/02/26/traffic-congestion-heading-out-of-town-in-the-p-m/comment-page-1/#comment-40118 Ellen Smith Sat, 27 Feb 2010 01:24:51 +0000 http://ellensmith.org/blog/?p=386#comment-40118 Yes, reduced congestion helps everybody. I also get stuck in traffic heading to Oak Ridge from ORNL. What's new is that both directions on Bethel Valley Road now get clogged at certain hours of the day. I can't help but recall that ORNL had more employees when I went to work there than it does now, but we didn't have these kinds of traffic problems. A much higher percentage lived in Oak Ridge back then, and a big fraction of the employees were in car pools or van pools, or took privately operated buses. We need to start doing that again, but it's harder to organize when we no longer live close to many of our coworkers. (We had a carpool with 5 people living in the same neighborhood who worked in the same building, but all but two of the people who were in that carpool at various times have retired, and only 3 of us still live in the neighborhood.) Yes, reduced congestion helps everybody. I also get stuck in traffic heading to Oak Ridge from ORNL. What’s new is that both directions on Bethel Valley Road now get clogged at certain hours of the day.

I can’t help but recall that ORNL had more employees when I went to work there than it does now, but we didn’t have these kinds of traffic problems. A much higher percentage lived in Oak Ridge back then, and a big fraction of the employees were in car pools or van pools, or took privately operated buses. We need to start doing that again, but it’s harder to organize when we no longer live close to many of our coworkers. (We had a carpool with 5 people living in the same neighborhood who worked in the same building, but all but two of the people who were in that carpool at various times have retired, and only 3 of us still live in the neighborhood.)

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