TDOT Announces Decision on State Route 126/Memorial Boulevard

Nashville, Tenn. – Governor Phil Bredesen and the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) announced today that the state will accept the State Route 126 Community Resource Team (CRT) recommendation. This recommendation will now move forward as an alternative that will be studied further during the Environmental phase of work. During this phase an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will be prepared according to NEPA (National Environmental Protection Act) standards. This phase is currently not in the Department’s transportation budget, but will be considered when next year’s budget is developed. Funding, however, is available to begin technical studies including, ecological, archeological, geological and historical. This information will be included in the final EIS.

“This milestone represents a lot of hard work and commitment by the volunteers on the Citizens Resource Team and I would like to thank them for their efforts,” said Bredesen.

The Community Resource Team (CRT) for the State Route 126 (Memorial Boulevard) Context Sensitive Solution (CSS) project has worked together since October 2003 to study and prepare a concept plan recommendation for improving SR 126 in Kingsport and Sullivan County. The project is considered by TDOT to be its’ “pilot” CSS project. Documentation of the process and lessons learned will be part of the project report.

The project study area extends from East Center Street to Interstate 81, a distance of approximately 8 miles. During the 21-month CRT study process, the team gathered thirteen times for meetings, training, and workshops and conducted three Public Involvement Sessions in Kingsport. Public opinion was surveyed at each session and the results of those surveys were reviewed and discussed by the CRT and used to guide their decision making.

• CRT unanimously agreed upon:
  • 11 Enhancement features in the Design Plan.
  • 10 Safety improvements, with safety stated as the number one priority for SR 126.
  • 7 Points of interest to the community.
  • 4 Other special Issues.

Working together the CRT developed recommendations for roadway cross sections.
The recommendations are divided into eight sections, identified by intersecting cross streets.

• Five of the eight sections, the CRT developed consensus design recommendations.
• Three of the eight sections, the CRT developed design recommendations that were supported by a majority of team members.
• The attached map shows a graphic depiction of the CRT’s team recommendation for number of travel lanes on SR 126.

Consensus design recommendations include:

• Improve these sections to a four-lane median divided facility with curb, gutter and sidewalks:
  • Section 1 West – East Center Street to Orebank Road.
  • Section 1 East – Orebank Road to West of Hawthorne Street.
  • Section 3 West – Harbor Chapel Road to east of Old Stage Road.
• Improve this section to four travel lanes and a center turn lane with curb and gutter and sidewalks:
  • Section 2 – West of Hawthorne Street to Harbor Chapel Road.
• Provide an improved two-lane roadway with paved shoulders, wide centerline, and rumble strips:
  • Section 4 East – Harrtown Road to Cochise Trail.

Majority design recommendations with minority objection statements include:

• Improve this section to a four-lane median divided facility with shoulders:
  • Section 3 East – East of Old Stage Road to Cooks Valley Road.
• Improve this section to provide two travel lanes and a center turn lane with curb, gutter and sidewalks:
  • Section 4 West – Cooks Valley Road to Harrtown Road.
• Provide an upgraded two-lane roadway with paved shoulders, wide centerline, and rumble strips:
  • Section 5 – Cochise Trail to Interstate 81.

“There is concern over the use of a 4 lane section from East of Old Stage Road to Cooks Valley Road and the impact this would have on the ridge, Yancey’s Tavern and East Lawn Cemetery,” said TDOT Commissioner Gerald Nicely. “These concerns must and will be addressed during the preparation of the EIS for this to truly be a Context Sensitive Solutions process.”

“Context Sensitive Solutions (CSS) is a new way transportation planning approach being used by TDOT which provides solutions that are not only safe and effective, but are also designed in harmony with the community and environment”, said Senator Ron Ramsey. “This process benefits us all.”

“It took extensive community effort and commitment to get to this point and the results will be a better overall product,” added Representative Nathan Vaughn. “I’d like to thank everyone involved in the process.”

“US126 will be a vital transportation corridor for Sullivan County and is a much needed improvement for the region,” said Representative Jason Mumpower. “The resource team’s safety suggestions are important too.”

For a map depicting some of the State Route 126 CRT’s recommendations go or for more information about CSS, go to www.tennessee.gov/tdot.