I-75/I-24 interchange construction plan raises concerns at East Ridge Community Center meeting

photo Allen Miler, left and Kenneth Rogers discuss propose improvements to the I-24/I-75 interchange during a public meeting with the Tennessee Department of Transportation in Chattanooga at the East Ridge Community Center in Chattanooga, Tenn., on Thursday.

About 50 people attended a meeting Thursday evening to hear the proposed plans for reconstruction of the Interstate 75/Interstate 24 interchange.

Representatives from the Tennessee Department of Transportation were there to answer questions, and Jim Ozment, director of the environmental division of TDOT, led the meeting at the East Ridge Community Center.

The $89 million proposal affects 4.4 miles of interstate between East Brainerd Road and Ringgold Road, stretching down to the state line. The proposal involves constructing new I-75 through ramps, widening the lanes leading into those ramps, widening the interstate into four to six lanes depending on location, and constructing new entrance and exit ramps for the welcome center located in that area.

Ozment said this should reduce traffic congestion in that stretch of interstate and help prevent the accidents and truck rollovers that occur often in the area.

After the meeting, audience members took turns expressing concerns over the proposal.

Gregory Plante asked why they have to bulldoze the highway and reconstruct it, when perhaps newer technologies or better signage could have the same effect on preventing accidents. He suggested smart signs that could change messages with statements as simple as "turn on your lights" when it's raining or "slow down" when there is congestion.

"Give people instructions for what to do, because they need it," he said, bringing laughter from the audience.

Another audience member, Greg Luther, asked why they aren't considering better lane designation or exit-only lanes onto ramps, like on East Brainerd Road.

Other concerns involved funding, the timeline for the project and whether this will actually solve the "weaving problem" caused by short merge times between lanes.

Ozment said no timeline has been set for the project yet because they fund as they go, meaning they will not proceed with the next step until the funding is approved. Environmental impact studies outlined at the meeting are the next step, and they will not be completed until sometime next summer. Those studies involve the impact on nearby residents, endangered species and waterways, among other things.

Throughout the meeting officials emphasized they want to hear what people have to say, because the officials don't know everything.

"A lot of this meeting ... is about what you know about the area," Ozment told the crowd. "So that we don't miss something along the way."

Contact staff writer Hannah Smith at hsmith@timesfreepress.com or at 423-757-6731.

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