Monday, July 27, 2015

Re: Request for Copy of TDOT Planning Document Pertaining to SmartFix40

Hi Kristin,

Thanks for the info. 

I'm forwarding this on to our Greenways Commission Chair and Vice Chair. 

The landscaping was a great gift to Knoxville from TDOT, it's sad to hear the City didn't care for the gift properly.

The city's doing a bit better on maintenance as it hired an urban forester in 2012.

With some TLC from him, the site is better, but not quite what was originally "gifted," though.

I'm a bit concerned to hear about the state leases on TDOT property.

It seems to me like someone's conducting business on a parcel that they don't have to pay city or county taxes on.

Can you tell me if there is a current lease in place with the State for whatever business is operating there? 

I don't mind to ask someone else if you don't know; Tim Webster comes to mind. I have his contact info as he also attends Greenways Commission meetings.

Concerning a greenway in the steep area along I-40 near the SmartFix40 site:

I don't think the City of Knoxville has much interest in the concept so you likely won't hear anything further on it.

It's been 7 years since SmartFix and the City still hasn't moved on a plan for a greenway path under the Interstate along First Creek between Glenwood and Sixth that everyone in Knoxville is asking for.

Basically I wanted to check with you about the possibility of putting:

1) a greenway on top of a rip rap drainage swale, using the method described, to preserve the State's investment in drainage infrastructure
2) a greenway between the access control fence and the sound barrier.

My problem is if when I go to the City with an idea, I'm often met with "TDOT would not let us do that so we won't even try" in general or  "it's not possible to put a greenway path on top of a drainage system," as in this specific case, when it clearly is possible from the example I found.

So it's kind of a chicken and egg question on coming up with a plan: feasibility versus a plan.

Can you tell me how advanced of a study or plan would have to be presented for TDOT to provide input on the technical feasibility of a path between the access control fence and the sound barriers?

Also, can you tell me if a study or plan could done by anyone with appropriate credentials (Engineering, Landscape Architecture for example), or does any proposal have to come from the city for TDOT to provide input?

Thanks,

Tanner




On Mon, Jul 27, 2015 at 11:31 AM, Kristin Qualls <Kristin.Qualls@tn.gov> wrote:

Tanner,

 

Thank you for the information provided.  I hopefully will be able to provide insight to several possibilities in regards to the questions presented.

 

1.       The area along 6th avenue was the contractor's site for office space during construction of Smartfix40.  After construction, the contractor continued with several City initiatives including the Transit Center and several bridge replacements/repairs projects in the area and was allowed to remain on State Right of Way.  The State of Tennessee as well as the City of Knoxville have several leases with property owners and businesses such as seen here.

2.       The landscaping plan and work performed during Smartfix was discussed prior to construction that the maintenance to the site would be handled by the City of Knoxville.  Since maintenance on the landscaping has not been performed as originally arranged, further maintenance by state forces has been greatly hindered.  TDOT county maintenance forces have begun in several locations to  remove thick vegetative areas in similarly landscaped areas such as Papermill and Weigarber in order to improve access for maintenance purposes.  The same approach will also be taken along the Interstate corridor of Smartfix in the near future so that areas mentioned in your email can be easily accessed for debris removal.

3.       Areas along State Right of Way that are outside the control access fence are the responsibility of the City of Knoxville to maintain.  Areas along 6th Avenue and Hall of Fame would still revert to the City for maintenance needs between the curb line and control access fence as also detailed in Tennessee Code Annotated.

4.       The area in which you are recommending greenway facilities is quite steep.  TDOT does often permit the City of Knoxville access to build greenways; however, the City is responsible for designing a plan and submitting for approval.  If this idea is an option that the City of Knoxville desires to pursue, I would encourage further dialogue be made between you and the City of the Knoxville for further planning initiatives. 

 

Again, thank you for your recommendations.  Thinking outside the box and providing recommendations for improvements is always commended.  I wish you well in your endeavors for furthering greenway access in the Knoxville area.  If you have further questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact me at your convenience.

 

Thank you,

Kristin

Kristin Qualls, PE | District 18 Operations Engineer

Operations Division, District 18

7345 Region Lane

Knoxville, TN 37914

p. 865-594-2408

kristin.qualls@tn.gov

tn.gov/tdot

 

 

From: Tanner Jessel [mailto:mountainsol@gmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, July 16, 2015 1:00 PM
To: Kristin Qualls
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.

 



​

 

The PDF I marked up is too large at 4.5 MB to send via e-mail attachment, but you can see the original document at <https://web.archive.org/web/20081231021742/http://www.tdot.state.tn.us/smartfix/jwp/map/SmartFIX40.pdf>.

 

 

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

 


*** This is an EXTERNAL email. Please exercise caution. DO NOT open attachments or click links from unknown senders or unexpected email. - OIR-Security***

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.

 

Thanks,

 

Tanner

 

 

 


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