[EQAB-list] subtle shift in favor of urban design?

Thu May 14 17:05:04 EDT 2009

The City has stated a preference for an urban design, but the staff and several Council members have also said they don't want design changes if those changes would result in any delays in starting construction. As a result, they are not interested in pushing particularly hard for an urban design. 

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Robert G Kennedy III, PE" <robot at ultimax.com> 
To: eqab-list at discoveret.org 
Sent: Wednesday, May 13, 2009 11:29:41 PM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern 
Subject: [EQAB-list] subtle shift in favor of urban design? 

Dear EQAB members, 

See John Huotari's article below. 

"the City prefers an urban design" for S.R. 95? 

Progress! 

You are a good board. 

Robert 

-- 
Robert G Kennedy III, PE 
www.ultimax.com 

Road project too close to homes? 
------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
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By John Huotari | john.huotari at oakridger.com 
The Oak Ridger 
Posted May 12, 2009 @ 09:00 AM 

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OAK RIDGE, Tenn. - Residents in West Oak Ridge are opposing current 
design plans for the next phase of a road widening project on the Oak 
Ridge Turnpike, saying the proposed expansion passes too close to their 
homes and they didn't know about the project when they bought their 
properties. 

"That's the biggest concern ... people didn't know," said Oksana 
Kravchenko, who lives on Sweet Gum Lane. 

At issue is the last phase of a long-awaited project to widen the 
well-traveled Turnpike, also known as state Route 95 or 58, from 
Illinois Avenue in Oak Ridge to Interstate 40 in Roane County. The last 
phase of the project would widen the Turnpike from Westover Drive to the 
SR 95/58 Interchange, passing near the Southwood and Sweet Gum 
subdivisions. 

Twenty-five residents in those subdivisions have signed a petition 
asking the state to modify its construction plans. Last week, several of 
them attended the Oak Ridge City Council meeting and asked the city to 
oppose the project's current design. 

The residents have asked that a proposed median be eliminated or 
narrowed near Southwood, and they also want the roadway widening project 
shifted to the west, where possible, near Sweet Gum. The citizens said 
the majority of the SR 95 expansion would be on their side of the 
roadway -- the eastern side -- even though there is empty right-of-way 
land on the western side, owned by the U.S. Department of Energy and 
Tennessee Valley Authority. 

"Nobody lives across the road," Kravchenko said Friday. 

Among other things, the residents have concerns about safety, noise and 
property values. 

"The safety considerations for including a median are well understood," 
the petition states. "However, it is not understood why the same safety 
considerations are not being considered for homeowners who will have a 
highway built very close to many of their homes with no barrier for 
safety or noise." 

The residents are asking for a noise and safety barrier or wall near 
Sweet Gum, in places where the roadway widening project cannot be 
shifted to the west. 

Kravchenko said there was a public hearing on the project nine years 
ago, but, at the time, the land now occupied by the subdivisions was 
empty. In the petition, residents said right-of-way and construction 
plans were developed before most homes were built in the Southwood and 
Sweet Gum subdivisions. 

"Two homes in Sweet Gum have been built with construction easements 
barely 12 feet from the structures, even though the two new lanes are 
over 50 feet away from the homes," the petition said. 

Oak Ridge City Manager Jim O'Connor told Council members last Monday 
that the Tennessee Department of Transportation has been informed that 
the city doesn't want to slow down the project. but would prefer an 
urban, rather than rural, design for the last phase of the roadway. An 
urban design would mean that the median would be narrowed, he said. That 
would narrow the roadway corridor and keep SR 95 farther from homes. 

But one potential problem with narrowing the median: It is used for 
water runoff, O'Connor said. 

He said the last phase of the road widening project could be put out for 
bid in September or October. It won't be funded with federal stimulus 
money, but would instead use state and federal funds. 

Currently, the Turnpike is being widened from Illinois Avenue to 
Westover Drive. 

John Huotari can be contacted at (865) 220-5533. 

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Lazybones1 day ago 
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Welcome to the real world, west-enders. 
JQ_Citizen23 hours ago 
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The needs of the many outweigh the needs of a few. 

Sorry, I just got back from the new Star Trek movie. (excellent movie, 
btw and i'm no trekkie) 
doesnotmatter23 hours ago 
Report Abuse 
Are there not high tension lines close to Southwood Ln? If there are, 
how close to the road are they? I really don't know but I think you have 
to stay a certain distance away from them (the towers that support 
them). On the same hand, I agree with those concerned about safety. I 
don't see why shifting the road over a little would be that big of a 
deal, other than the historic guard shack, but a little more planning 
really wouldn't be so mentally taxing now would it?? 
bones22 hours ago 
Report Abuse 
There was public planning nine years ago. But these folks didn't live 
there then but want the road moved for them now! I wonder if we could 
move the civic center a little closer to the parking lot? I'd like that 
better and it would be safer or maybe I just wouldn't get as wet when it 
rained. Makes as much sense to me. 
JQ_Citizen20 hours ago 
Report Abuse 
Live in a flood plain and you will eventually get wet. 
Live next to a major thorofare and eventually the road will get widened. 

Is it really that hard? 
DMyers10 hours ago 
Report Abuse 
There will be several homes up for sale, many families will leave Oak 
Ridge. This happened in Clinton. 
Cactus Jack9 hours ago 
Report Abuse 
I think they could modify plans and move the widening project to the 
west side of the roadway, since there is nothing there right now, 
obviously the homes there were not there when the original plan was 
drawn up. Be flexible, lets try to keep people here in OR. (actually 
this road should have been widened 40 years ago, K-25 was working then 
and those who remember the traffic backups on day shift would have 
appreciated a widened road). 
Margarita8 hours ago 
Report Abuse 
Let's see: I hear there are illegal immigrants in the city of Oak Ridge 
driving illegally, causing wrecks, and not coming to court. Then, the 
red light cameras given to us by Charlie Hensley, Jane Miller and the 
mayor. Now, a new road that homeowners don't want near their expensive 
homes. Gosh, anyone want to move to Oak Ridge? Anyone want to even drive 
through Oak Ridge? 
kmaria885 hours ago 
Report Abuse 
'The needs of the many outweigh the needs of a few,'- it appears that 
Adolph Hitler would make a fine home in Oak Ridge, if he were alive. 
Philosophies of some (or many?) are so similar. By the way, west-enders 
want to modify the project the way, beneficial to everybody. We are not 
starting a war, but we wouldn't like to be walked on our heads. 
Regarding illegal immigrants just driving through Oak Ridge, I haven't 
met anyone. Personally, I am internationally recognized artist and an 
American Citizen, honored because of my work. As I discovered, many of 
my neighbours, especially foreigners by birth, are very distinguished 
and often internationally recognized individuals from all areas of life. 
Unfortunately, I discovered that some (or many?) are very chauvinistic 
toward newcomers, especially of foreign background. So does law need to 
be broken to benefit some? I am an American Citizen, and I care for my 
country. Oksana Kravchenko 
kmaria881 hour ago 
Report AbuseOne more thing. There is a difference between an idea of 
moving the Civic Center and moving the road. The person who works in the 
Civic Center does not own it, and is probably paid from my taxes and the 
taxes of my neighbors. I own my house and I pay taxes. So, this is the 
big difference. 
http://www.oakridger.com/localnews/x1993049996/Road-project-too-close-to 
-homes 

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