Topic: traffic

Traffic why we drive the way we do (and what it says about us) by Tom Vanderbilt

By Blayne Clements | October 11, 2009 |

By Vanderbilt’s definition, I am an “extreme commuter”. I commute 2 hours, everyday, for over 12 years. That’s roughly 6,000 hours or the equivalent of 3 years of 40 hours work weeks battling traffic and sitting in traffic jams. Naturally, I was drawn to this book.

I did have concerns that the book could be dreadfully boring. However, I was pleasantly surprised at how Vanderbilt kept my interest; I couldn’t put the book down. He does a stunning job of reducing decades of research into a 286 page book.

The book is not just on traffic congestion. It discusses at length issues of engineering, driver psychology, and traffic issues world wide. Instead of summarizing what the book is about, it may be better to list some of the questions/topics addressed by Vanderbilt: «Read the rest of this article»

41-A Bypass water main ruptures

By Bill Larson | September 12, 2008 |

Drivers on the 41-A Bypass in Clarksville had to deal with slow moving traffic as they passed through the area between Seven Mile Ferry Road and Glendale Drive Thursday afternoon. The cause was a  15 X 30 foot section of pavement which collapsed after a 12″ water main ruptured.

The leak disrupted water service to several hundred homes in the neighborhood. A Clarksville Gas and Water work crew, including supervisor Dean Fain, Dustin Jeckson, Brandon Forrest, Drew Stenle, and Russell Allen, responded and proceeded to close off two valves isolating the section of pipeline from the city water system. Then, using several pumps, they evacuated the water from the hole and with a backhoe cleared out enough room on either side of the pipe to get a chain cutter underneath.

Once the five feet of the pipe was cut away, the crew was able to place a patch on the pipe which, when bolted down, would seal the breach in the pipeline. Crews then used hydrants to flush contaminants from the line. After  verifying that there were no leaks, they reburied the pipe. A crew from Dan Meadows Construction then took over the repaving of that section of the street.

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Knoxville dumps Redflex red light cameras

September 9, 2008 |

Clarksville wants to install red-light cameras at four to six Clarksville intersections in what is basically a dangerous revenue generating scheme. These cameras result in more accidents not less. The damage rear end accidents cause often costs more to repair. There is also an increased likelihood of injuries and even death to those who are involved in these red-light camera triggered rear-end accidents. Let’s not even talk about the fact that city-wide insurance rates will likely end up going through the roof even if you never get one of these tickets.

The company our city is currently favoring is Redflex, an Australian company. They have been the vendor in charge of the City of Knoxville’s red-light camera system that is until August 1st. Redflex missed a filing deadline to renew their contract. Reflex lays the blame for the missed deadline on the Federal Express package courier company.

The City of Knoxville has had mixed results with their experience with Redflex and could have opted to allow Redflex to file their bid late but chose specifically not to do so. This is a clear indication of their dissatisfaction with the company.

Clarksville frequently holds the city of Knoxville as an example the city of Clarksville should aspire to. So perhaps we should delay awarding a red-light camera enforcement contract to a company that they are in the process of dumping. «Read the rest of this article»

Be aware: Summer school zones require caution, reduced speed

June 5, 2008 |

Due to summer programs from June 2-27, some school zone lights will remain on as particular times during the day. Motorists are expected to follows school zone posted speeds in those areas.

The following is a list of the times and zones where the lights will remain on:

Middle Schools: between 8:15-8:45 a.m. and 11:15- 11:45 a.m.

• Kenwood on Peachers Mill Road
• Montgomery Central at 48 & 13
• Northeast at Trenton Road
• New Providence at Cunningham Lane
• Rossview at Rossview Road
• Richview at Richview Road
• West Creek at Peachers Mill Road «Read the rest of this article»

Madison Street accident shears pole, halts traffic

June 4, 2008 |

At approximately 6:20 a.m. on Tuesday, June 3, a small truck ran into a telephone pole at the Kroger parking lot on Madison Street, breaking the base of the pole and almost knocking it onto the busy street. Rescue and repair crews arrived within minutes of the crash. Photo by Debbie Boen.

Fix our roads before resorting to traffic enforcement cameras

By Bill Larson | April 15, 2008 |

Clarksville wants to install red-light cameras at up to 4 Clarksville intersections in what is basically a dangerous revenue generating scheme. These cameras result in more accidents not less. The damage rear end accidents cause costs more to repair. There is also an increased likelihood of injuries and even death to those who are involved in the rear-end accidents. Let’s not even talk about the fact that insurance rates will likely end up going through the roof even if you never get one of these tickets.

I hereby challenge our city to fix our broken intersections, and not to profit off a problem the city has created intentionally or otherwise!

The city insists their goal is road safety and not revenue, so I am sure they would not mind putitng their money where their mouth is. «Read the rest of this article»

Red Light Cameras: Increase crashes, injuries and insurance rates

By Bill Larson | March 13, 2008 |

The City of Clarksville  has started looking at resurrecting their plans to install red-light cameras in our city. They have likely been assured these cameras are safe by those who are profiting from these cameras (redflex and Knoxville) but that is not the case. If we are honest most of us would admit that Clarksville’s primary interest in them is due to the fact that they are a cash cow for cash strapped cities like ours, but one that takes money straight from your bank account.

The fact is that Red-Light and Speed cameras result in the roads where they are present becoming less safe. You are more likely to be injured or killed at a intersection after these cameras are put into place than you ever were before. Read this news report, and the study which follows it, then be sure to contact your city council member and tell them in no uncertain terms that you strongly oppose their dangerous revenue generating scheme. «Read the rest of this article»

Development on steroids: Rethinking urban planning for a city on the grow

January 7, 2008 |

It is with a walloping dose of dismay, a meager bit of optimism and sometimes amusement that I follow stories of the city’s intent to address planning and development issues, including signage, as Clarksville braces for the transition of Gateway Medical Center from Madison Street to the St. Bethlehem area, and push forward development issues that affect the entire city. But let’s start with signage.

Signage. No kidding. Someone wants to talk about signs? It’s about time, though it is only a starting point. When the city refers to “blighted” areas, it refers to areas not meeting a maximized tax potential. Your property is worth much less in tax revenue as your home, and so much more (to the city and developers) as a revenue-generating business-zoned cadre of condo’s, apartments, another mini strip mall or as part of the growing Austin Peay State University campus.

In recent months we’ve heard talk of redevelopment, urban blight, and all manner of things relating to zoning and design. The fact is, when I consider what constitutes blight in Clarksville, it’s not just Emerald Hill or Red River or Brandon Hills or any of a half-dozens areas that may or may not be blighted in the usual sense of the word but which trigger dollar signs in the eyes of developers. To see blight, all I have to do is drive down Fort Campbell Boulevard or Wilma Rudolph Boulevard and look out the car window. Blight. One big wall of urban blight in the guise of revenue-producing business districts. The heck with aesthetics.

Face the fact: the view is UGLY. «Read the rest of this article»

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