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[hbelkins]

https://goo.gl/maps/NjxcQaubw4ZjRnWV9

What the hell happened here?  The interchange was recently modified to help improve traffic, yet from this and my drive in TN in July, it seems to have put no dent at all in the ongoing traffic issues here. 

They should have just left the equal split wye instead of spending millions to not help any more easement to this traffic nightmare.

Chattanooga desperately needs a bypass -- not that it would be easy to build one. But a connection from I-24 around the state line east to hit I-75 could probably remove a good bit of the traffic that is funneled into that clogged stretch of interstate.

The last time I was in Chattanooga, I approached from the north via TN 111 and US 27. I needed to get over to US 11 on the northeast side of town. I can't remember the route I took but I wanted to avoid downtown and the hill climb on I-24. The route I ended up using was part surface route with signals, and part expressway with some grade separations. It functioned fairly well for what I needed.

[froggie]

^ Probably TN 153, which is freeway from just north of the river to I-75.

[roadman65]

https://goo.gl/maps/NjxcQaubw4ZjRnWV9

What the hell happened here?  The interchange was recently modified to help improve traffic, yet from this and my drive in TN in July, it seems to have put no dent at all in the ongoing traffic issues here. 

They should have just left the equal split wye instead of spending millions to not help any more easement to this traffic nightmare.

Chattanooga desperately needs a bypass -- not that it would be easy to build one. But a connection from I-24 around the state line east to hit I-75 could probably remove a good bit of the traffic that is funneled into that clogged stretch of interstate.

Good luck on that. Georgia could care less about Tennessee. They’ve got their own problems further south.

I’m surprised that they actually maintain the four miles of I-24 in their state. I would figure that TDOT would do that being such a short distance of freeway between another state. I guess I-59 at 20 miles allows for that unlike I-684 in CT connecting to no roads in that state which is why NYSDOT maintains it across the border.

[hbelkins]

Is Georgia still coveting water from the Tennessee River?

A trade could be in order -- Tennessee tells Georgia it can have water withdrawal rights if it will build a Chattanooga bypass.

[Tomahawkin]

This maybe a fantasy land question but are there any plans of any semblance of a Chattanooga bypass. IH 24 is hell to get through if there is any type of accident between Chattanooga and Mounteagle. A lot of truck traffic and vacation traffic from the midwest en route to Florida have to go through Chattanooga....

[wriddle082]

This maybe a fantasy land question but are there any plans of any semblance of a Chattanooga bypass. IH 24 is hell to get through if there is any type of accident between Chattanooga and Mounteagle. A lot of truck traffic and vacation traffic from the midwest en route to Florida have to go through Chattanooga....

It would be very difficult to build anything over Lookout Mountain, or tunnel through it, plus I’m sure the residents of that area would not like it one bit.  But if by some miracle something does get built, it needs to start at the 24/59 interchange, be tolled, have a tunnel through the mountain, end in or just above Dalton on 75, and have only one interchange along the way at US 27.

[Avalanchez71]

This maybe a fantasy land question but are there any plans of any semblance of a Chattanooga bypass. IH 24 is hell to get through if there is any type of accident between Chattanooga and Mounteagle. A lot of truck traffic and vacation traffic from the midwest en route to Florida have to go through Chattanooga....

It would be very difficult to build anything over Lookout Mountain, or tunnel through it, plus I’m sure the residents of that area would not like it one bit.  But if by some miracle something does get built, it needs to start at the 24/59 interchange, be tolled, have a tunnel through the mountain, end in or just above Dalton on 75, and have only one interchange along the way at US 27.

I just use US 41 and avoid I-24 in this area.

[Great Lakes Roads]

https://www.wvlt.tv/2022/09/13/sevier-co-mayor-works-create-solution-buc-ees-traffic/

Sevier County leaders are talking about solutions to the anticipation of a lot of people heading to Buc-ee's, creating a lot of traffic within that area.

[hbelkins]

https://www.wvlt.tv/2022/09/13/sevier-co-mayor-works-create-solution-buc-ees-traffic/

Sevier County leaders are talking about solutions to the anticipation of a lot of people heading to Buc-ee's, creating a lot of traffic within that area.

Is the Buc-ee's going to be at Exit 407? There have already been two improvements to that interchange in the last 25 or so years. First they built a loop ramp from TN 66 north to I-40 west, then they converted the exit into a DDI.

The Kentucky Buc-ee's was built at a fairly new, rural interchange on I-75 that didn't get a lot of use. Concurrent with the arrival of the beaver, a signal was placed at the end of the ramp from southbound I-75, and at the street entrance to Buc-ee's.

[BlueRidge]

Yes, it’s going on the plot of land on the southeast side of the exit that has long been graded and ready for development.

[triplemultiplex]

Is Georgia still coveting water from the Tennessee River?

A trade could be in order -- Tennessee tells Georgia it can have water withdrawal rights if it will build a Chattanooga bypass.

Heh, the same thought popped into my head.
I recall Georgia was trying to say a few years back that the border was surveyed wrong and it should touch the Tennessee River at some point thus giving them rights to pipe water from it down to Atlanta or whatever.
Oh the fun things that happen when silly humans draw straight lines on maps.

[Avalanchez71]

Is Georgia still coveting water from the Tennessee River?

A trade could be in order -- Tennessee tells Georgia it can have water withdrawal rights if it will build a Chattanooga bypass.

Heh, the same thought popped into my head.
I recall Georgia was trying to say a few years back that the border was surveyed wrong and it should touch the Tennessee River at some point thus giving them rights to pipe water from it down to Atlanta or whatever.
Oh the fun things that happen when silly humans draw straight lines on maps.

Then I guess that Tennessee should ask Kentucky for some land back that was surveyed incorrectly near Portland, TN.

[Alps]

Is Georgia still coveting water from the Tennessee River?

A trade could be in order -- Tennessee tells Georgia it can have water withdrawal rights if it will build a Chattanooga bypass.

Heh, the same thought popped into my head.
I recall Georgia was trying to say a few years back that the border was surveyed wrong and it should touch the Tennessee River at some point thus giving them rights to pipe water from it down to Atlanta or whatever.
Oh the fun things that happen when silly humans draw straight lines on maps.

the tripoint marker begs to differ

[elsmere241]

Is Georgia still coveting water from the Tennessee River?

A trade could be in order -- Tennessee tells Georgia it can have water withdrawal rights if it will build a Chattanooga bypass.

Heh, the same thought popped into my head.
I recall Georgia was trying to say a few years back that the border was surveyed wrong and it should touch the Tennessee River at some point thus giving them rights to pipe water from it down to Atlanta or whatever.
Oh the fun things that happen when silly humans draw straight lines on maps.

Then I guess that Tennessee should ask Kentucky for some land back that was surveyed incorrectly near Portland, TN.

A good chunk of the Tennessee-Kentucky line was mis-surveyed in Tennessee's favor, along the Walker Line.

[rte66man]

From the Tennessee Lookout:
https://tennesseelookout.com/briefs/advisory-group-projects-looming-deficits-in-tennessee-road-and-highway-project-funding/

Advisory group projects looming deficits in Tennessee road and highway project funding
BY: ANITA WADHWANI - SEPTEMBER 29, 2022 7:15 AM

Higher road construction costs and the increased use of electric and fuel efficient vehicles will take an increasing bite out of revenues needed to keep Tennessee’s public road and bridges repaired and replaced, a government advisory group told lawmakers Wednesday.

By 2040, 10% of all vehicles on Tennessee’s roadways are projected to be electric. Those drivers won’t be paying the state’s gas tax, which has traditionally provided the bulk of funding for state and local road repair and construction projects.

At the same time, the average national vehicle fuel efficiency is expected to increase, from 23-miles-per-gallon today to 30-miles-per-gallon by 2040, further limiting consumers’ fuel purchases — and the payment of fuel taxes.

Meanwhile, inflationary costs associated with roadwork are soaring; by 2040, at current rates of inflation, Tennessee will see a $399 million reduction in its gas tax spending power, according to the Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations, or TACIR.

“While the growing adoption of EV’s may not become a major issue for road funding in Tennessee for decades, it, along with changes in fuel economy, increasing inflation and decisions about the distribution of various fees points to a need for future modifications to Tennessee’s road funding system,” Bob Moreo, TACIR research manager told lawmakers.

TACIR provided initial recommendations for lawmakers to consider when the General Assembly reconvenes in January.

They include sharing the current $100 registration fee currently required from electric vehicle owners with city and county governments for their road work projects — a similar model to the revenue sharing with the state’s fuel tax collections.

The advisory commission also recommends regular reporting by the Department of Revenue to the legislature tracking the impact of inflation on the state’s road funding.

And, commission members urged lawmakers to focus on policies that balance the ability to raise revenues with equity for drivers, no matter what vehicle they drive.

Tennessee has 96,000 miles of public roads and 20,000 bridges. While the federal government provides state funding for road work, it is designated only for about 1/5  of all of the state’s roads and highways. Road repair and building funding comes primarily from vehicle registration fees and the gas tax, paid by every consumer at the pump.

[Plutonic Panda]

North Carolina and Tennessee are gonna have to come up with some pretty radical solutions. It seems like every time you hear about their funding situation always gets worse. Are there any current proposals to fix that?

[Avalanchez71]

North Carolina and Tennessee are gonna have to come up with some pretty radical solutions. It seems like every time you hear about their funding situation always gets worse. Are there any current proposals to fix that?

Don't spend money when not needed.

[civilengineeringnerd]

North Carolina and Tennessee are gonna have to come up with some pretty radical solutions. It seems like every time you hear about their funding situation always gets worse. Are there any current proposals to fix that?

completely toll I-24, I-65, and I-40 throughout the volunteer state. have express lane tolls around the urban areas if need be and have electronic tolls for the stretches. have satellite tolls for the rest.
either that or have some kind of extra tax on hybrid and electric vehicles, which i wouldn't recommend.

[codyg1985]

North Carolina and Tennessee are gonna have to come up with some pretty radical solutions. It seems like every time you hear about their funding situation always gets worse. Are there any current proposals to fix that?

completely toll I-24, I-65, and I-40 throughout the volunteer state. have express lane tolls around the urban areas if need be and have electronic tolls for the stretches. have satellite tolls for the rest.
either that or have some kind of extra tax on hybrid and electric vehicles, which i wouldn't recommend.

I could see express lanes working in Nashville if they are implemented correctly, but tolling the remainder of the interstates would be a non-starter. TDOT will hopefully be able to at least finish widening I-65 north from Nashville to Kentucky in the next 7 years or so.

[Tomahawkin]

I think it's imperative for the Nashville area to have toll lanes simply to keep up with the growth and sprawl in the suburbs. Toll roads really help avoiding tie-ups during weekends  and on Get-away days during the holidays. The Same issue is present in Arkansas because the state outlaws toll roads which is so backwards!

[Ted$8roadFan]

This maybe a fantasy land question but are there any plans of any semblance of a Chattanooga bypass. IH 24 is hell to get through if there is any type of accident between Chattanooga and Mounteagle. A lot of truck traffic and vacation traffic from the midwest en route to Florida have to go through Chattanooga....

There’s also a lot of traffic from the Northeast headed to the Gulf Coast states and Texas (and vice versa) avoiding the Megalopolis and Atlanta, following  I-81, I-40, and  I-75. I-24/59 is an important link.

The I-75/24 interchange in Chattanooga was clogged in the middle of the afternoon on a Tuesday when I was there. I-24 itself was kind of interesting by interstate standards. I would have enjoyed it more if it weren’t for the truck traffic struggling up the incline (and one truck spilling its load of wood beams) as well as the sudden congestion creating white knuckle driving conditions.

The area could definitely use a bypass, with so much traffic coming through the area.  But  I imagine that the cost and complexity make it next to impossible. I also agree that Georgia has little incentive to invest large sums of money into a project that would benefit another state.

[Great Lakes Roads]

https://www.wkrn.com/news/tennessee-politics/toll-lanes-in-tennessee-state-leaders-considering-options-to-replace-declining-gas-tax-revenue/

Toll lanes in Tennessee? State leaders considering options to replace declining gas tax revenue

[codyg1985]

https://www.wkrn.com/news/tennessee-politics/toll-lanes-in-tennessee-state-leaders-considering-options-to-replace-declining-gas-tax-revenue/

Toll lanes in Tennessee? State leaders considering options to replace declining gas tax revenue

I could see toll lanes working in the Nashville metro, but I don't know how it would help the downtown loop though with how scrunched up the interstates are to existing buildings.

[Plutonic Panda]

https://www.wkrn.com/news/tennessee-politics/toll-lanes-in-tennessee-state-leaders-considering-options-to-replace-declining-gas-tax-revenue/

Toll lanes in Tennessee? State leaders considering options to replace declining gas tax revenue

I could see toll lanes working in the Nashville metro, but I don't know how it would help the downtown loop though with how scrunched up the interstates are to existing buildings.

Im just gonna say it. Bridges and tunnels. The rest of the world can do it. With tolls it should make it much more feasible.

[codyg1985]

https://www.wkrn.com/news/tennessee-politics/toll-lanes-in-tennessee-state-leaders-considering-options-to-replace-declining-gas-tax-revenue/

Toll lanes in Tennessee? State leaders considering options to replace declining gas tax revenue

I could see toll lanes working in the Nashville metro, but I don't know how it would help the downtown loop though with how scrunched up the interstates are to existing buildings.

Im just gonna say it. Bridges and tunnels. The rest of the world can do it. With tolls it should make it much more feasible.

Maybe a I-635 Texpress style set of buried toll lanes through the downtown loop? I still wonder how the maintenance of traffic would happen if those were built through there with limited right of way.

I-24 between I-440 and US 231 in Murfreesboro I could see being an excellent candidate for the toll lanes.