Subject: Fwd: Request for Copy of TDOT Planning Document Pertaining to SmartFix40
Hi Kristin,
I live in Knoxville near the SmartFix40 project site.
I also serve on Knoxville's Greenways Commission, appointed by Mayor Rogero.
I'm writing today doing some independent research on two items.
First, the landscape plans I requested from TDOT indicates a parcel of land (that I presume belongs to TDOT) was planned to be landscaped.
The rendering is here; the parcel in question is bordered by I-40 West, 6th Avenue, and First Creek:
Looks great, right?
In contrast, here's what we have today at this location, from Google Maps aerial imagery acquired in September 2014, more than 5 years after the SmartFix40 project ended:
Note the parcel is not landscaped, and seems to be in use by a construction business.
I'm unable to locate any property tax records for whatever business is operating at this location, and no parcel information is available in public facing GIS system,
www.kgis.org
Do you have any idea what's happened here?
Do you have any idea why landscaping was never carried out on this parcel?
My second inquiry concerns the drainage swale outside the retaining walls on I-40.
I am personally interested in the idea of routing a greenway along that corridor, so I took it upon myself in March to venture behind the fencing and investigate.
What I found might be of concern to you:
The drainage system set up by TDOT is filling up with invasive plants and trash.
From this photo, I imagine it won't be long before the drainage system fails:
I can only imagine the headaches that a failed drainage system will cause TDOT over time.
I'm obviously biased, but I'm thinking that a Greenway path alongside the drainage swale would provide easier access to the area in question to do maintenance activities and keep the invasives & debris in check.
I'm not an engineer or landscape architect and perhaps overly optimistic about possibilities, but I also found this example where a trail was installed on top of a drainage ditch:
At any rate, I imagine you'd want to know about the trash & plants taxing your drainage system.
In revisiting this, I'm hopeful that some kind of solution might involve a greenway path to allow area residents to enjoy the view from Chestnut Ridge, much in the way that trail users can enjoy the view from Papermill Bluffs, which I understand was installed as part of the SmartFix 40 project.
I have a picture and PDF of what that might look like, connecting N. Sixth Avenue to Cherry Street via TDOT ROW and Chestnut Ridge, see below and the link to reference the original document.
Thanks for any information,
Tanner
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Steve Borden
Date: Mon, Jul 13, 2015 at 2:15 PM
Subject: Re: Request for Copy of TDOT Planning Document Pertaining to SmartFix40
To:
Cc: TDOT Comments
Thank you for your inquiry regarding Landscaping Plans on SmartFIX40. The landscape design that was included in the project plans are attached for your convenience.
Should you have further questions or concerns upon review, please contact the District 18 Operations Engineer, Ms. Kristin Qualls, at (865) 594-2408 or Kristin.Qualls [at] tn.gov.
Steven M. Borden, P.E.
Director/Assistant Chief Engineer
TDOT – Region 1
jmh
How are we doing? Customer Service Survey
From: Tanner Jessel
Sent: Friday, July 10, 2015 12:16 PM
To: TDOT Comments
Subject: Request for Copy of TDOT Planning Document Pertaining to SmartFix40
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There is a document online that appears to be a deliverable for the TDOT SmartFix40 project.
It's called "I-40/Hall of Fame Drive Project Two Landscape Plan, dated January 2008.
It looks like it has Wilbur Smith Associates logo and another small, indistinguisable logo, perhaps from Penland Studio, where I found the reduced filesize version of the plan:
I was unable to locate any documents pertaining to "Landscape Plan" on the archived site.
I am hoping that TDOT has retained copies of the Landscape Plan and is able to forward them to me.
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