Excerpt from Knox Pages article, report of City Council meeting March 12, 2018
Relating to streets, Tammy and Dennis Swingle spoke to council in a Streets and Public Buildings Committee meeting prior to the legislative session. Tammy Swingle said that speed humps are a simple and inexpensive solution to get drivers to comply with the speed limit, reduce noise, and reduce the chances of accidents at the intersection of Edgewood Road and Chestnut Street.
Dennis Swingle reiterated that speed humps would go a long way toward helping solve Edgewood Road traffic problems as well as increased police presence and writing of tickets.
Ball said that speed humps require a level of design experience and care that the city does not have, which is one of the reasons the city wants to enlist the services of an engineering firm. Speed humps are not allowed on inclines, and if an accident should occur because of a speed hump, the city would be held responsible.
At its Feb. 26 meeting, council postponed a vote on legislation authorizing a traffic study for the Edgewood Road area. Monday, Ball outlined three general parameters given to the consulting firm who would do the traffic study:
- Conduct an origin and destination study
- Evaluate short-term, low-cost solutions to cut-through traffic issues
- Study four long-term alternatives that would be determined by the people attending public meetings
Ball said those long-term alternatives have not yet been defined and that contrary to public comments circulating around, no decision has been made how to proceed.
“At this point we are collecting alternatives; we are not evaluating alternatives. Everything is on the table, even doing nothing,” he said.
The public is invited to attend a meeting on Tuesday, March 13, from 6:30 to 8 pm at the Knox County Memorial Building. The five-station format will have information on traffic and speed counts in the Edgewood Road area, data from the police department on the number of tickets issued and illegal truck traffic, and maps on which residents can write their suggestions for speed humps or other improvements. Residents will also have the opportunity to record their comments or suggestions.