Study: Widening I-75 would help clear congestion

Widening Interstate 75 and constructing more alternative routes were the most efficient solutions for improving the congested interstate near Chattanooga, officials said at Thursday night’s TDOT meeting.

“We’ve analyzed what we think future traffic is going to be, where congestion is today ... and ways to somehow address those problems,” said Kenny Monroe, a consultant for Kimley-Horn and Associates Inc.

The Tennessee Department of Transportation held an information meeting at the Hamilton County YMCA on Shallowford Road to discuss the I-75 corridor study and allow the public to discuss any concerns.

The I-75 corridor study is part of TDOT’s long-range planning division study to gather information about the 160 miles along the interstate from Chattanooga at the Georgia state line to the Kentucky state line in order to improve the road.

Kimley-Horn and Associates officials, consultants for the study, presented the possible I-75 solutions to a crowd of about 25 local residents on Thursday night.

Plans to improve I-75 included widening eight sections of the road in Hamilton, Bradley and McMinn County including a lane on both sides from the Georgia state line to Ringgold Road, and from Ringgold Road to the Interstate 24/I-75 junction, Mr. Monroe told the crowd.

Along with widening the road, Mr. Monroe suggested several other solutions to include in short and long-term projects including plans to add lanes to alternative routs, divert freight traffic off I-75 and add more park and ride facilities.

While the turnout for the meeting was lower than TDOT officials had hoped, good questions were raised, said Terry Gladden, the department’s transportation manager.

Traffic is heavy at the I-24 interchange with I-75, City Traffic Engineer John Van Winkle said. He asked if I-24 also will be widened.

Several other residents also brought up the traffic at the I-24 interchange and asked if the study would address that congestion.

While the I-24 interchange cannot be included in this study, the suggestions will be used in later projects, Mr. Gladden said.

All the solutions from the I-75 study are suggestions for the state and the local organizations to adopt into their plans through 2030, Mr. Gladden said. TDOT will have a draft of the study ready by October, and the study should be complete by Dec. 1.

“We’ve tried to look at everything,” he said. “Everything possible that we think could be a solution.”