Transportation
Map 6: Transportation

Many of the existing two-lane roads in the Northwest City Sector were originally built for rural and light suburban traffic, and have become congested and unsafe. Significant development has led to increased traffic without the necessary infrastructure improvements, and efforts are underway to provide more acceptable conditions. While there is a continuous effort to improve these roadways in response to increased demand, one of the challenges is to increase capacity in a way that does not adversely effect existing neighborhoods. Growth in the outlying areas of Knox County also effects traffic conditions within the sector, as many people pass through the area on their way to and from work and other activities.

The major east-west roadways are Middlebrook Pike, I-40, Western Avenue, and Kingston Pike, which is just outside the sector. Lack of good north – south connections has been a problem throughout Knoxville, and is a long-standing concern of many residents.

Congested Corridors
Congestion is another concern of local residents, and happens mainly in the morning and evening rush hour. The following corridors within the sector are considered to be congested by a variety of factors including greatly increased travel times and high volume to capacity ratios. Some of the projects outlined in the transportation improvements section on page 25 will improve traffic flow in these areas. More information on congested corridors can be found in the Knoxville Regional Transportation Planning Organization Congestion Management Plan.

• Middlebrook Pike: Lovell Road to Ed Shouse Drive
• Western Ave: Schaad Road to I-640
• Clinton Highway: I-640 to Murray Road
• Merchants Drive: Merchants Center Blvd to Central Avenue (I-75 Interchange)

Transit Services
Knoxville Area Transit (KAT) is the largest provider of public transportation in Knoxville and Knox County, making approximately two million trips per year. Most of this service is provided by buses running on fixed routes within the City of Knoxville. The recently adopted KAT Action Plan 2010 provides an overview of needed improvements. The Plan includes expansion of Call-A-Kat to the entire city, 15 minute service on the major corridors, including Chapman Highway, and development of a network of “neighborhood connector” routes, which will include existing routes such as Western Avenue and as well as new routes. These routes will use smaller buses and serve as feeders into the core route system.

Sidewalks
Most of the early growth in Northwest City took place in the automobile age following World War II, when sidewalks were rarely constructed. The network is discontinuous, and retrofitting existing streets will be expensive. Many of the recent road improvements and planned upgrades do include sidewalks. The Knoxville Regional Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) has a sidewalk plan for Knox County, identifying a base network and locations of needed additions.

Bicycle Facilities
The TPO has completed a bicycle plan for the Knoxville area. The plan seeks to improve quality of life by providing safe bicycling facilities for both transportation and recreational use. Fully integrating bicycles into the transportation system includes: designing, renovating and maintaining roads and bridges to accommodate bicycles; establishing a signed and mapped network; educating motorists and bicyclists; and designing facilities for a variety of users. A TPO Bicycle Advisory Committee is overseeing implementation of the plan.