Collegedale's Wreck Problem - And Response (2)

  • Tuesday, May 3, 2016
The wreck on May 2
The wreck on May 2

Re: Speed Limits Being Lowered On Main Collegedale Thoroughfare 

I just read your story on Collegedale lowers speed limit for main thoroughfare.  It's funny the city claims they will have TDOT put up dangerous intersection signs, because last summer when it was stated in a story (possibly not by your company) that they were dropping the speed limit from 55 to 50 on Lee Highway, and they would be installing a red light at the intersection of Edgmon and Lee Highway in two years. After that story aired that week a sign was posted, about 300+ feet before Edgmon (going toward Cleveland) on Lee Highway, warning of the dangerous intersection ahead (it didn't stop wrecks either) and the sign disappeared within a week.

Just last night a traffic crash happened in that intersection just a few minutes after Collegedale Police Department cleared a broken down vehicle there. Police were gone about 10-15 minutes before the wreck happened, all while a train was passing through.

I have witnessed and helped many motorists the past two and a half years in wrecks there. Nine out of 10 wrecks have serious injuries and four out of five of those have to have the jaws of life to even help them.

I have seen Collegedale try their best to slow people down, but speed alone isn't the issue, as when people go to turn into Edgmon and you are trying to pull off Edgmon, you cannot see cars coming down the hill beside the turning cars from Lee Highway to Edgmon.

Anytime there is rain/snow or 75 is shut down and people rerouted that way you can guarantee there will be a wreck there, no doubt because the traffic is so heavy.

It would really help if any media or even the city workers came during one of those times, or even just at drive time about 5-7 p.m. on a weekday, and you will witness several close calls or even the wrecks themselves.

Jessica Russell 

* * *

Ms. Russell, I share your concerns about this issue in our city.  Chief Hickmans' recommendation for a reduction on Lee Highway and the subsequent support by the City Commission is about all the city can do.  

The real problem lies with people making bad choices and distracted drivers.  I travel the intersection of Lee Highway and Edgmon Road twice daily, neither time is safer than the other.  Like you, I have witnessed many "near misses".  Most of them involve people pulling out when their vision is blocked by north bound traffic turning right on to Edgmon.  When the train stacks traffic in all directions, it really gets dangerous.  

Why would one blindly pull out on to a highway with a 50 mph limit when you can't see oncoming traffic?  Three fatalities in the last four years and countless other wrecks don't seem to resonate with drivers. Not to mention the fact that the road lends itself too easily to speeding.

TDOT is aware of the issue and has a plan to spend several million dollars signalizing the intersection and modifying turn lanes, from a "special" fund for "hazardous/dangerous intersection".  Like most of us using this area, it can not happen soon enough for me.    

John Turner 
Former Mayor 
Collegedale 

* * *

I drive this stretch of Lee Highway daily between Ooltewah and the Bradley County line.  The only area where I have ever seen accidents is where Edgmon Road comes into Lee Highway.  

A signal is desperately needed here.  Traffic backs up on Edgmon trying to turn left or right onto Lee Highway, and cars take chances to pull out when they can.  

Please don’t wait for another fatality accident to get this done.  

Lynn Hager

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