Washington Pike from I-640 to Murphy Road Project



Last item for navigation
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share via Email
  FILES
  May 2021 Washington Pike Typical Sections [PDF]
  May 2021 - Roll Plot - 3 Lane & Multi-lane [PDF] (11MB)
  May 2021 Washington Pike Roll Plot with Public Meeting Comments [PDF] (11MB)
  September 2021 Washington Pike Roll Plot with Suggested Changes  [PDF] (11MB)
  September 2021 Washington Pike Landscape Opportunities Plan [PDF] (9MB)
  September 2021 - Public Input Sought on Washington Pike Improvements
  June 15, 2022 - Landscape Design Plan [PDF] (11MB)
  Engineering Project Sheet with Links to Additional Documents [PDF]
   
June 15, 2022 Meeting Set on Washington Pike Planting Design

Last September, stakeholders at a well-attended public meeting discussed the latest draft of a $17 million plan to improve traffic flow and safety along the Washington Pike corridor inside the northeastern City limits, between Interstate 640 and Murphy Road. 

It was the third City-convened community meeting on the project in 2021. At each juncture, residents’ suggestions were heard, evaluated and incorporated into the plan, if supported by data and engineering best practices.

The proposed road redesign adds turn lanes and corrects accident-prone intersections, but it also creates – for the first time – wide bicycle and pedestrian paths and a park-like environmentally-friendly planting design.

With construction scheduled to begin in about two years, the City and its design team are inviting community members to another public meeting – this one, specifically to delve into the planting elements.

The meeting will be held Wednesday, June 15, at 6 p.m. at New Harvest Park.

Click here to view the landscape plan.

“We’re balancing safety and ease of maintenance care, adding habitat and ecological value,” said Sara Pinnell, principal of Hedstrom Landscape Architecture, which designed the landscaping.

“The corridor will truly be multi-modal – not just for cars. Bicyclists and pedestrians will be welcome. There will be opportunities for paths to meander and for amenities and some bigger trees and natural areas to be added.”

The first priority is safety. On average, there’s an accident every four days at Washington Pike and Lifespring Lane. That’s just one example. There are issues with other overworked intersections and the original roads being unable to accommodate increased vehicle volume throughout the corridor.

The proposed redesign fluctuates the width of the road and number of lanes based on a blend of traffic counts, crash data and proven engineering design solutions. 

Washington Pike would remain five lanes on the western end of the project area, where Greenway Drive ties in near the Target store. The pike would narrow to three lanes by New Harvest Lane, then expand back to five lanes, including a turn lane, at Steeple Shadow Way and Babelay Road and continue on in that configuration to the City limits at Murphy Road.

At that point, turn lanes would carry traffic onto Murphy or Pullman roads, and Washington Pike to the east would continue in its current two lanes.

City engineers and consultants with CDM Smith will begin the upcoming June 15 public meeting by providing the latest minor updates to the roadway design plan. But this meeting is the first one to focus primarily on the proposed plantings along the Washington Pike corridor.

Throughout the project corridor, a 10-foot multi-use pedestrian and bicycle path would be built along the north side of Washington Pike, with an 8-foot sidewalk along the south side. They would provide connections to existing parks and greenways.

At the June 15 meeting, Pinnell will explain how the multi-use paths would curve and twist through each section on the corridor, veering away from the road and its noise wherever possible.

For example, the section closest to I-640 has about 100 feet of right-of-way space – roomy enough to plant large native trees without interfering with motorists’ sight lines. Tree canopy would shade the walkways and a proposed KAT bus stop.

In multiple wide sections with slopes and elevation changes, the design calls for planting of minimal-care water quality treatment areas – that is, trees, groundcovers and natural edge landscaping that can reduce erosion and naturally filter pollutants.

Some parts of the corridor would have traffic medians, which would be enhanced with river rock and planted with groundcover or short shrubs.

Shade trees are to be planted wherever possible along the entire corridor, depending on sight lines, width of the right-of-way and location of utility lines.

Once the traffic flow plan is finalized and right-of-way acquired, work would begin in 2024. The City’s goal is to have the project completed by the end of 2026 or mid-2027.


Washington Pike landscape intent





September 22, 2021 Meeting on
Washington Pike Corridor Traffic & Safety

A Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2021 public meeting has been set to discuss an estimated $17 million project to improve traffic flow and safety along the Washington Pike corridor inside the northeastern City limits, between Interstate 640 and Murphy Road. The proposed design also provides wide bicycle and pedestrian paths.
 
The problems are simple and obvious: Overworked intersections and a lack of turn lanes. And too many accidents – one every four days at Washington Pike and Lifespring Lane.

The solution? Much more complex.

“Our aim is to redesign the pike in a way that best helps a variety of users – the residents who live in that immediate area, the nearby businesses, the through commuters, and the people who want a safe pedestrian and bicycle route,” City Engineering Director Harold Cannon said.

“First and foremost, we’re committed to listening to what the community tells us. That’s why, at this Sept. 22 public forum, we’ll be going over the most recent proposed design changes, which were made based on feedback from a Jan. 20 meeting with Alice Bell / Spring Hill neighborhood leaders and feedback from a May 19 public meeting at New Harvest Park. We want to hear what people think of the changes.”

The Wednesday, Sept. 22 meeting will begin at 6 p.m. at New Harvest Park. Pandemic safety protocols will be observed.

The proposed design fluctuates the width of the road and number of lanes based on a blend of traffic counts, crash data and engineering best practices. 

Washington Pike would remain five lanes on the western end of the project area, where Greenway Drive ties in near the Target store. The pike would narrow to three lanes by New Harvest Lane, then expand back to five lanes, including a turn lane, at Steeple Shadow Way and Babelay Road and continue on in that configuration to the City limits at Murphy Road. There, turn lanes would carry traffic onto Murphy or Pullman roads, and Washington Pike to the east would continue in its current two lanes.

Along the project corridor, two 10-foot multi-use pedestrian and bicycle paths would be built, and they would connect to existing parks and greenways.

The most accident-prone intersection, at what’s now Washington Pike and Lifespring Lane, would be reconstructed to improve safety.

Once the plan is finalized and right-of-way acquired, work would begin in early 2024. The City’s goal is to have the project completed by the end of 2026 or mid-2027.


May 2021 Washington Pike Roll Plot
with Public Meeting Comments


Click image for larger view in PDF format
Comments from May 2021 Public Meeting


September 2021 Washington Pike Roll Plot
with Changes from May 2021 Suggestions

Click image for larger view in PDF format
September Roll Plot


September 2021 Washington Pike
Landscape Opportunities Plan


Click here for larger view in PDF format
Landscape Opportunities Plan




PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The design plans for the Washington Pike from I-640 to Murphy Road Project were previously completed up to the right-of way acquisition phase for the original proposed typical section.

In 2018, the project was put on hold because of funding constraints. In 2020, the project designer was asked to perform an analysis of the proposed project limits with a specific focus on traffic and pedestrian safety. Washington Pike, west of Mill Road is proposed as a three-lane facility with raised median. This section consists of one travel lane in each direction, a dual use left turn lane, with shared use paths and landscape buffers on both sides of the road. Washington Pike, between Mill Road and Murphy Road is proposed as a five-lane facility with raised median. This section consists of two travel lanes in each direction, a dual use left turn lane, with shared use paths and landscape buffers on both sides of the road.

Click here to view the current Engineering project sheet [PDF] with links to files and archives.


SEPTEMBER 2021 STATUS

A Kick-off meeting was held on March 12, 2012. A project design kick-off meeting was held on July 9, 2014. A Public Meeting was held on June 30, 2015. A meeting with leaders of the Alice Bell / Spring Hill Neighborhood was held via Zoom on January 20, 2021. A public meeting was held at New Harvest Park on May 19, 2021. A public meeting will be held on Sept. 22, 2021 for continued project discussion. The City is planning to schedule another public meeting to discuss conceptual plans for landscaping and lighting. The projected bid date of this project is Spring 2024.


DESIGNER / CONTACT

Project Designer: CDM Smith

City of Knoxville Contact, Chief Civil Engineer: Thomas V. Clabo, PE 865-215-6100