ADHS Corridors J and J-1

[hbelkins]

Taking a look at the ADHS corridors in Tennessee, I see corridors J and J-1.

https://www.arc.gov/images/programs/transp/ADHSStatusReportFY2018.pdf, Page 50

Corridor J is defined as US 27 and TN 111 from Chattanooga to Livingston, then TN 52 to Celina and TN 53 north to the state line (although the more direct route is to stay on 111 and US 127 to intersect Corridor J north of Albany, where it runs along KY 90).

I haven't been across TN 52 between Livingston and Celina yet, but it's shown on the map in the report linked above as mostly complete.

I've always wondered about J-1, which is listed as running across proposed TN 451 and TN 53 from Algood to reconnect with Corridor J at Celina. (Note that Tennessee has done a good job in connecting the corridors to other routes, such as TN 53 and TN 56 south to connect to I-40 at Baxter). It's listed as complete, yet there is no TN 451, nor is there a direct route connecting Algood to TN 56. TN 290 runs from TN 56 eastward, but it runs into downtown Cookeville, not Algood.

Anyone with any insight? This would make a good little day trip sometime to check out these alignments.

[Tom958]

I assumed that the corridor was intended to connect with I-65 at Elizabethtown, and that the four lane KY 61 to Hodgenville was part of it, too. Sure would be a good shortcut from Chattanooga to Louisville.

EDIT: That said, Google's favored routes from, say, Dalton GA to Elizabethtown include via Celina and I-65 at Bat Cave.

[clong]

Corridor J is defined as US 27 and TN 111 from Chattanooga to Livingston, then TN 52 to Celina and TN 53 north to the state line (although the more direct route is to stay on 111 and US 127 to intersect Corridor J north of Albany, where it runs along KY 90).

I haven't been across TN 52 between Livingston and Celina yet, but it's shown on the map in the report linked above as mostly complete.

I've always wondered about J-1, which is listed as running across proposed TN 451 and TN 53 from Algood to reconnect with Corridor J at Celina. (Note that Tennessee has done a good job in connecting the corridors to other routes, such as TN 53 and TN 56 south to connect to I-40 at Baxter). It's listed as complete, yet there is no TN 451, nor is there a direct route connecting Algood to TN 56. TN 290 runs from TN 56 eastward, but it runs into downtown Cookeville, not Algood.

Anyone with any insight? This would make a good little day trip sometime to check out these alignments.

I've made the drive from Cookeville to Celina each Fall for the past 3 years. It has primarily been upgraded to 4 lanes or 4 with a shared turn lane. There are a couple of signals in Livingston. Recent construction just wrapped up at TN111 and TN 52 intersection, the signal remained, but now TN52 has been upgraded from 2 lane (or 2 with a turn, can't remember). IIRC, there's a section just north of Livingston that was under construction the last time I went thru and an adjacent section that has not been upgraded. North of those as you approach Celina, there are some pretty significant rock cuts.

[codyg1985]

Corridor J is defined as US 27 and TN 111 from Chattanooga to Livingston, then TN 52 to Celina and TN 53 north to the state line (although the more direct route is to stay on 111 and US 127 to intersect Corridor J north of Albany, where it runs along KY 90).

I haven't been across TN 52 between Livingston and Celina yet, but it's shown on the map in the report linked above as mostly complete.

I've always wondered about J-1, which is listed as running across proposed TN 451 and TN 53 from Algood to reconnect with Corridor J at Celina. (Note that Tennessee has done a good job in connecting the corridors to other routes, such as TN 53 and TN 56 south to connect to I-40 at Baxter). It's listed as complete, yet there is no TN 451, nor is there a direct route connecting Algood to TN 56. TN 290 runs from TN 56 eastward, but it runs into downtown Cookeville, not Algood.

Anyone with any insight? This would make a good little day trip sometime to check out these alignments.

I've made the drive from Cookeville to Celina each Fall for the past 3 years. It has primarily been upgraded to 4 lanes or 4 with a shared turn lane. There are a couple of signals in Livingston. Recent construction just wrapped up at TN111 and TN 52 intersection, the signal remained, but now TN52 has been upgraded from 2 lane (or 2 with a turn, can't remember). IIRC, there's a section just north of Livingston that was under construction the last time I went thru and an adjacent section that has not been upgraded. North of those as you approach Celina, there are some pretty significant rock cuts.

The part just south of Celina has lots of rock cuts and a few grade separations. The July 2018 Google Street View shows two way traffic on what looks like will be a five lane setup going north out of Livingston. Then there is a segment in the middle that appears to be an upgraded two lane, then there is the four-lane divided portion south of Celina with the rock cuts.

[hbelkins]

I queried TDOT. I got two responses back, which are a bit conflicting.

One states that Corridor J-1 "wasn't used." This came from the person who submits the completion info to ARC, so it seems odd that it would be shown as complete on the ARC's ADHS report.

The other response states that "The SR-451 that was planned to be part of J-1 was the proposed 4 lane Cookeville By-Pass that was dropped an administration ago because of controversial local support. As far as i know it is not an active project for TDOT."

So it would appear that J-1 was reported as complete in error, and in fact has been dropped from consideration and will not be built.

Not that it really matters, because the TN 53/TN 56 route from Celina south to I-40 is already an improved two-lane route, not quite a "Super-2" but not a typical two-lane route. Besides, through Corridor J traffic (if it exists) is going to take I-75 from Chattanooga to London, and the direct route from Livingston to Albany is TN 111 to US 127, not TN 52 to Celina, TN 53/KY 61 to Burkesville, and KY 90 to Albany.