Apison Pike widening means more than shorter commute, officials say

Ever since construction began on Apison Pike almost three years ago, Collegedale Mayor Katie Lamb says her drive from home to city hall went from taking a little more than five minutes, to somewhere between 15 and 20 minutes.

But she isn't complaining.

That's because now, with the $24.2 million project finally complete, she and other local commuters can navigate the heavily trafficked road easier and faster than ever.

The Tennessee Department of Transportation's 2.25-mile construction project widened the roadway between Old Lee Highway and Ooltewah-Ringgold Road from two lanes to five lanes, providing an extra lane for travelers driving in each direction as well as a continuous center turn lane.

"It's really made traveling the distance through the city much easier and much quicker for everybody," Lamb said. "Now that it's open, you really don't find much of a backup at all on Apison Pike, even from University Drive."

Though the project is expected to improve traffic flow for the entire community, the widening will be especially beneficial for McKee Foods, said Mike Gloekler, public relations manager for the iconic snack food manufacturer, which is one of Hamilton County's largest employers.

With construction complete, he said the corporation's employees will spend less time in traffic jams during shift changes. The reduction in idle time on the road for the company's truck fleet will also mean fuel savings for McKee, which he said will ultimately benefit its consumers.

Still, Gloekler said the biggest benefit of the increased road capacity is that the city is more prepared to handle the growth coming to the area. In addition to being located in the fastest-growing part of the county, Collegedale is one of the fastest-growing cities in the state, boasting 29.7 percent population growth between 2010 and 2015, according to U.S. Census data.

The road project also prepares the area for more growth through its other installations, such as the 4-foot bike lanes and 5-foot sidewalks built on both sides of Apison Pike, the widening of the roadway's intersection with Ooltewah-Ringgold Road, and the new traffic signal installed at Swinyar Drive, which will provide easier access to Collegedale Public Library and city hall.

"This work puts the area ahead of the game rather than having to play catch-up later," Gloekler said.

With the roadway now connecting I-75 to Collegedale's Four Corners town center, Collegedale Planning and Economic Development Director Kelly Martin said the corridor is expected to see some commercial growth. Infrastructure required for commercial development, such as sewer, water and natural gas, are already in place along the roadway, he added.

Lamb said the anticipated commercial development would help Collegedale's tax base, allowing city officials to keep property taxes down.

Moving forward, TDOT will continue to work on the two remaining projects that will leave Apison Pike fully widened from I-75 to East Brainerd Road.

The first project will pick up where the recently completed work left off, widening a 3.1-mile section of Apison Pike from Ooltewah-Ringgold Road to Layton Lane, near Collegedale Municipal Airport. Once completed, that portion of the road will also have five lanes, bike lanes and sidewalks. It is awaiting right-of-way acquisition before construction can begin.

The second project, which is currently in the design phase, will widen a 0.9-mile section of Apison Pike from Layton Lane to East Brainerd Road, adding a center turn lane, bike lanes and sidewalks.

"We are deeply appreciative to former Gov. [Phil] Bredesen and Gov. [Bill] Haslam for their commitment to start and finish this important work," said Gloekler. "Without their support and leadership and the leadership of our state, county and local officials and TDOT, none of this work would have seen the light of day."

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