Chapman highway safety zone

[A.J. Holst]

South of 411 intersection.

An effort to slow down traffic southbound on US 441.

Southbound lanes changed from 2 thru lanes to a left hand turn lane, thru lane and occasional right hand truck lanes.

Best advice, stay in the left and be mindful of the idiots using those right hand truck lanes to pass on the right or those who are unfamiliar with the traffic patterns.

While the locals will eventually figure out the traffic patterns,  the tourist and out of area truck drivers will keep it plenty exciting.

Northbound has longer 2 lane stretches, same advice, stay in the left

I think the flashing info sign said  9 miles.

Speed limit is 45, smokey is watching.

[peejman]

Most deadly road for miles around, yet bikes crashing on the dragon always make front page news instead.  

It desperately needs widening and barriers, and the speed limit should be 35 over the whole length. 

[A.J. Holst]

28 minutes ago, peejman said:

Most deadly road for miles around, yet bikes crashing on the dragon always make front page news instead.  

It desperately needs widening and barriers, and the speed limit should be 35 over the whole length. 

The cost and scope to slightly straighten and widen 441 for that stretch exceeds the amount of voters impacted. Not enough business or residential density, just a through way with seasonal  out of area traffic.

The truth about Chapman Highway, it is slightly banked in the curves which adds for safety at 55, but encourages higher speeds in a great car, even if you can't drive.

[peejman]

2 minutes ago, Gotthegoods said:

The cost and scope to slightly straighten and widen 441 for that stretch exceeds the amount of voters impacted. Not enough business or residential density, just a through way with seasonal  out of area traffic.

The truth about Chapman Highway, it is slightly banked in the curves which adds for safety at 55, but encourages higher speeds in a great car, even if you can't drive.

Not enough business and residential density?  It's wall-to-wall businesses nearly from one end to the other.  Traffic density is as high or higher than any other road around. 

And both of those illustrate the difficulty with fixing it. It will be hugely expensive because of all the businesses 30ft from the road   and hugely inconvenient given the current traffic load.  

All the lunatics driving 70mph and generally lax enforcement certainly don't help the situation.  It's much easier to persecute bikes on a windy road with no intersections and little other traffic. 

[A.J. Holst]

I used density based in the speed limit, it is typically based on population density. I agree with you now that I live out here, do the effing speed limit, stay  right as much as possible, watch the left hand turn and the idiot dodging the left hand turn.

There is a definite 50 presence in the safety zone

[peejman]

If they expanded the safety zone to the whole road, I bet we'd all be amazed at the revenue that would generate (not that I'm advocating tickets as a revenue stream).  

If it was a new road, there's no way the speed limit would be more than 35. Look at the Pigeon Forge bypass for comparison... way less traffic, 4-6 lanes with a median, less curves, practically no businesses, and 40 mph limit.  

Knox city/county is too afraid to piss off all the influential folks who use it daily to cut the limit to something more appropriate and actually enforce it.  

Thankfully I don't have to drive Chapman Hwy regularly, and I avoid it whenever possible. 

[macville]

21 hours ago, peejman said:

If it was a new road, there's no way the speed limit would be more than 35. Look at the Pigeon Forge bypass for comparison... way less traffic, 4-6 lanes with a median, less curves, practically no businesses, and 40 mph limit.  

Okay, so I have wanted to contact someone about that road for a long time. It's the same speed limit on that road as it is on Westalnd Drive between I-140 and Northshore Drive. On that section the white line is the edge of the road and there are a ton of driveways. Aren't there supposed to be state regulations about how a speed limit is determined? Veterans Parkway in PG should be 50 MPH almost the entire stretch if you look at any other road with the same amount of traffic, lanes, and roads attached to it. But like you said, it's 40 MPH. It seems like someone got the speed lower than it really should be so more tickets can be written on that road. Follow the cash flow, not the safety talk.

[peejman]

I'm sure there's state/national guidelines, but the local municipality is the final authority. 

[A.J. Holst]

Travelled southbound today.

No traffic ahead, set my cruise to 45. 

State Trooper observed giving a ticket; be a part of the solution, not the problem and observe the speed limit for 9 miles.

Never had to touch my brake, so a better experience than 55 with some wanting to make a left or slowing down for a side road or driveway