Lookout Mountain officials met with representatives from both the Tennessee Department of Transportation the city of Chattanooga regarding safety concerns on both Ochs and Scenic Highway.
Officials agreed that there are both short-term and long-term solutions that will improve the overall safety of these roads.
Here is a summary of the meeting:
TDO will begin paving Ochs Highway beginning on or near Monday. TOOT will be closing Ochs Highway at 8 p.m. and reopening the road at 6 a.m. until the paving is completed. It will include from St. Elmo to the Georgia state line. The upper Ochs Highway is not budgeted for repair this year and the rudimentary patches will have to suffice. TDOT has not determined a completion date, which will be dependent on weather.
A skid resistant solution will be applied to on certain curves identified by crash data where accidents have been caused by wet weather.
The center line rumble strip will be replaced with a textured strip. Rumble strips retain water and can be hazardous in the winter months when temperatures are below freezing. The textured strip will be a better solution for Ochs.
Per the officials request, trees and limbs will be trimmed back in areas that can damage the tops of buses, RV's and other taller vehicles. Clearing will depend on the need for an environmental permit. TDOT can only trim trees and limbs that are in their right of way.
TDOT will investigate the feasibility of widening certain curves on Ochs Highway. This process will follow the Training Planning Organization and Project Development process and will compete for funding with other projects.
TDOT and the city of Chattanooga will work with property owners to clean up property in areas that will open up "line of sight" in certain curves. This will enable drivers to better anticipate larger vehicles that require additional space.
TDOT will review the current signage along Ochs and Scenic Highway. If it is determined that there is a need for additional signage to caution drivers of potential hazards, the city of Chattanooga will be responsible for the installation of these signs. Reflectors will also be installed on guardrails on Ochs Highway in October.
Officials said they have had conversations with both See Rock City and Ruby Falls and both organizations are fully committed to a partnership with the town. They have been working with their contracted sales team and the related tour bus companies to emphasize the need for safety on the roads. Additionally, although their attendance is less now than it has been in years past, both attractions have made substantial operational investments to assure smooth and safe access to their properties.
Lastly, residents of Lookout Mountain understand more than anyone the potential hazards that they encounter on a regular basis on the roads. They have seen a significant increase in pedestrians and bicyclists on both Ochs and Scenic Highway in addition to the regular traffic that includes RV's, large trucks and tour buses. There is not a perfect solution for making the roads 100 percent safe. It is up to drivers to adapt to situations when needed. TDOT and the city of Chattanooga will do their part to making the state routes safer but it is also up to drivers to do their part as well.
Officials said government leaders from both sides of the mountain are fully committed to the safety of residents. They encourage residents to share ideas to elected officials and they will continue to have ongoing discussions with the city of Chattanooga, TDOT, GDOT and the tourism partners.