Do downtown U.S. 27 right

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

For many years, thousands of motorists who have traveled U.S. 27 through downtown Chattanooga and over the Olgiati Bridge have been thankful for having the useful highway to cut their commute times.

But hasn't every motorist along the way realized the design wasn't ideal or exactly right?

The highway is simply too curvy to handle so much traffic safely.

Tennessee transportation planners surely are wise now to have decided to take a second look at a proposal to seek a better solution for a redesign of the busy thoroughfare.

What would be better? Obviously, a new highway design won't be easy. If it were, the highway wouldn't have been designed as it is now.

What all motorists and state highway authorities want is a Highway 27 design that will safely and speedily carry already heavy traffic - and even heavier future traffic - conveniently for many years to come.

Delay is disappointing, of course.

But the most wise course is to delay the multimillion-dollar construction project to get the plan right for years to come.