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Memphis Road Projects


Rardy

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I respect that opinion, but whole heartedly disagree. Go back and read my post again. It's more than just about North Alabama. It's about North Mississippi, It's about Chattanooga, It's about East Arkansas. It really isn't even about Memphis, They don't need it, but the surrounding areas do, It will happen, and Memphis will be a benefactor of it. The federal Government has wanted this for three decades but poor leadership in Mississippi has kept it from happening. However, leadership in Mississippi is beginning to see the importance of the growth of its most northern part, considering that it is it's fasting growing area.

In any case, I 30 could split off from I 40 in say, Forest City Arkansas, and go through Tunica, giving Tunica I's 69 and 30, thus boosting the growth of that city and making it the true 2nd biggest gaming industry in America, then make an eventual slow turn back up to North Missipppi, go through Corinth and on to Chattanooga.

Point being, the extension of I 30 will happen eventually, and will some day end either in Chattanooga, or Charlotte. Mark my words. It make three more decades, but it will happen.

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Why do we need a freeway going to Chattanooga, two words....Stop lights....

Also, who said the interstate had to be on the poplar route?? Go to google maps and click on the satelite view and you'll see plenty of different routes that could be taken. Plus, I was just tossing in some ideas, I personally like the idea of splitting it off in Forest City.

Most "0" interstates go a long ways. ie. I 10, 20, 40...I would just like to see a freeway going to Charlotte. That way we could get to Chattanooga and the Smokies w/out having to deal with Nashville traffic. Plus, North's MS. and AL. need it for their economies. I 40 to 24 is an ok route, but you have to go NOrth just to go back south. A more direct route is needed.

Oh, about the Federal Government wanting this... I got that from their web site: Memphis to Atlanta Corridor 7 (This is a high priority interstate, not yet numbered, but is already up to interstate standards, just needs shoulders and overpasses). Congress has been talking about this for a while. Read the whole article.

Why would it need to be a freeway besides a 4 lane??? That's the kind of reasoning that has gotten our region behind in the past and now playing catch up. WHy not build the free way now when you have time and room on your side. If you don't, the areas build up and then you can't do it. For example, Germantown Pkwy... Hwy 64... Plus, a freeway doesn't even have to be an interstate. Check out the state of Texas. THey have turned most of thier state highways into freeways...

Thanks for talking with me about it though. Sometimes I feel like I 'm the only nerd who cares about this stuff.

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Would you please go back and read what I've been saying...THat's exactly what I'm trying to say, the routing would go through Corinth Mississippi and Huntsville via hwy 72. Wow....

Plus, read these as well. I'm not just dreaming this up, these are things that I've read in other places...

<a href="http://www.interstate-guide.com/i-030.html" target="_blank">http://www.interstate-guide.com/i-030.html</a>

go to the very bottom of this link and read this, they are talking about it in Alabama as well:

<a href="http://www.urbanplanet.org/forums/Huntsville-Highways-Road-t31660.html&st=180&start=180" target="_blank">http://www.urbanplanet.org/forums/Huntsvil...0&start=180</a>

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Well, I would like to see that done as well. I've actually driven on US. 64 to Selmer and U.S. 72 to Corinth. Both of these cities are basically the same amount of miles from their prospective exits off of the interstate away from Memphis. However, it takes about 45 minutes longer to get to Selmer than it does Corinth. Why? Stop lights. Tennessee really messed up when they didn't just go ahead and put in over passes when the fields were still there and the cities weren't growing. Now it's just too late, unless they start knocking five year old buildings down. Now, Mr. Bredesen is finally showing some attention to this part of the state and is trying to lure an auto maker here. (I'll actually believe that when I see it, seeing as he helped Middle Tn. get Nissan and Saturn and left us with zilch) But nonetheless, if this actually happens it will almost positively be placed in Fayette County, and 64 being a freeway would have definitely helped. It is Cities who have the 50 year vision of what they desire to be that build the highways and bridges that they know they will need that come out on top. West Tennessee has lacked in this area for 50 years. Anybody who lives here knows that I'm right. Although I do love the vision of 385, 269, 69, 22...They should have been done three decades ago. Then maybe we would have got Ford when they were eyeing both Memphis and Atlanta, and we all know how that turned out... I love Memphis, I just want to see us get out of snail mode and get these projects done. I'm 29 right now. I'll be 80 before all of these highways are done if we stay at our current pace. I've been watching 72 get four laned since I was nine!!!! Come on!!! 385 was started twenty years ago...!!!!! When are we ever going to get it...? Highways go up in Texas over night. And they build elevated freeways that aren

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  • 2 months later...

The problamatic intersection at New Riverdale Road and Popular won't be fixed on schedule according to the Commercial Appeal due to drainage problems discoverd by TDOT. Over 42 crashes have occured at that intersection since 2000 the CA reports due to the lack of a light to allow traffic to cross Poplar safely. The intersection was scheduled to be done in April, but has had its target opening date for the traffic light pushed back to May 1st.

Is this a problem with other Germantown intersections along Poplar and other heavier traffic corridors?

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The problamatic intersection at New Riverdale Road and Popular won't be fixed on schedule according to the Commercial Appeal due to drainage problems discoverd by TDOT. Over 42 crashes have occured at that intersection since 2000 the CA reports due to the lack of a light to allow traffic to cross Poplar safely. The intersection was scheduled to be done in April, but has had its target opening date for the traffic light pushed back to May 1st.

Is this a problem with other Germantown intersections along Poplar and other heavier traffic corridors?

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  • 2 months later...

Toll Road and Bridges: The future means of funding transportation projects in the Mid-South?

It appears that local officials from across the Mid-South are in favor legislation recently passed by the State House, and being discussed in the State Senate, that would allow tolls to be used as the means to fund future road and bridge projects in Tennessee if local and state officials decide that is the best means to secure the needed funding in the wake of federal funding cuts to Tennessee and most other states. Tennessee according the Commercial Appeal has lost over $238 million dollars in Federal Transporation funding in the last 27 months, an amount that has slowed or halted multiple projects across the state, and will prevent the start of many planned or future projects if the funding is not restored in coming years. Transportation Comminssioner Gerald Nicely was also quoted as stating rising construction costs are also applying even more financial pressures to the state's ability to maintain the state's transportation infrastructure and build it to meet future needs.

The legislation would not allow tolls on existing or already planned projects, only future projects - most notably for Memphis a proposed new Mississippi Bridge. Memphis legislators had been pushing for the expansion of the pilot toll legislation that passed last session to include a Memphis Bridge component, this legislation would address that desire by Memphis and other locales who would like to incorporate tolls into proposed local transportation projects but were not part of the original pilot program proposal.

I am in favor of the use of tolls for new roads/bridges that do not meet the state's overall long-term infrastructure needs, but are seen as needed and/or desired by local cities or regions for their own local needs. I would oppose the tolling of any new interstate construction in the state as that would hinder economic development IMO, but I would be fine with tolls being considered for most other lcoal road and bridge projects that do not meet state-wide or major regional development needs instead of all of us having to pay for such local projects as part of a gas tax increase.

So what does everyone else think? Are you okay with a toll as a means to fund a new Mississippi River bridge for the city? Are you for or against tolls being used for other future needs like new parkways, by-passes, and bridges across the state that aren't priority needs?

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Personally, I believe that tolls, along with the federal income tax, are unconstitutional. Let's have Tennessee and other mid-south states, along with the federal government open up their books for us. This is a promise of another tax to be used for a specefic purpose, like the lottery, that will never be spent for its desired purpose alltogether. With the taxes we pay at the pump, at the cash register and out of our pay checks you can't tell me, nor will you ever be able to convince me that toll roads are necesarry.

BTW, congrats Memphis, Go Tigers!

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Personally, I believe that tolls, along with the federal income tax, are unconstitutional. Let's have Tennessee and other mid-south states, along with the federal government open up their books for us. This is a promise of another tax to be used for a specefic purpose, like the lottery, that will never be spent for its desired purpose alltogether. With the taxes we pay at the pump, at the cash register and out of our pay checks you can't tell me, nor will you ever be able to convince me that toll roads are necesarry.

BTW, congrats Memphis, Go Tigers!

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Lets not get wildly off topic with an income debate. If folks would like to discuss the income tax please do so via PM. Thanks in advance. :)

So back to toll roads in Memphis......an idea who's time has come in order to fund TN's transportation needs or funding mechanism we should avoid in favor of increasing the gas tax as needed?

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I kind of agree with highriser, I don't think the state should toll its citizens or any out of state drivers for that matter. There were never any tolls in Tennessee before, and with one of the best sections of interstate system in the country, we sure don't need them now.

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Tennessee had tolls roads in the 1800s, but it is correct that TN's modern highway system has not used tolls as a funding mechanism. That is primarily due to TN hasn't needed to consider tolls until recently; when our state's growth, user demands on the system, and increase in construction costs out-paced the gas tax's ability to pay for the state's transporation needs. Tennessee is one of the few state's that has a "pay as you go" rule in terms of our road funding, unlike in other state's where bonds (debt) is issued to cover road projects with gas taxes going often into the general fund. Our gas tax goes soley for transportation needs; however to maintain our current high-quality road system we will have to at some point increase the gas tax. That is a very politically challenging course for our elected officials to support as it will be very unpopular with much of the citizenry who will not unstand the consequences of not adequently funding the Transportation Department's budget, especially with gas prices at all times highs. Thus the state is posed with three options: 1.) Trying to keep the gas tax at it's current rate and face serious funding issues, 2.) Raise the gas tax and have a backlash from the public at the polls, or 3.) Find alternative methods of funding some of our secondary and tertiary road needs outside of the gas tax's revenue stream. Our state's leadership has taken the position we need to explore alternative funding mechanisms for some projects in order to avoid or minimize increases in the gas tax - which led to the toll legislation.

Our state's primary problem is that as gas/diesel prices go up there is a curtailment of gas/fuel consumption and/or an increase in effieciency over time, which curtails the number of taxable gallons pumped in-state compared to ever growing costs of maintaining and improving the state's transportation system. We want to conserve energy, but our system is funded off consumption - just like our general fund is primarily funded off a consumption tax - the sales tax. Consumption taxes are very fickle and do not tend to be able to cover costs of state operations without being increased periodically over time.

Sorry to be long winded, but it is sort of hard to explain this rather complicated issue without going through it's background, causes, and reasoning.

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