Chapter 4 Existing Transportation System Existing Transportation System

This chapter provides an overview of the existing transportation system sification is the process by which streets and describes some of the transportation planning challenges that face and highways are grouped into the MPO area. The chapter discusses streets and highways, bicycle and classes, or systems, according to the pedestrian systems, transit, aviation, rail, and water transportation. The character of service they are intended chapter also includes an analysis of freight movements within Bradley to provide. Basic to this process is the County. recognition that individual roads and streets do not serve travel independ- Roads & Bridges ently in any major way. Rather, most Roadways are the foundation for the movement of people and travel involves movement through a freight in Bradley County. They serve as the backbone for transit op- network of roads. It becomes neces- erations and bicycle and pedestrian travel as well. There are three sary then to determine how this travel main agencies that are responsible for the management and future can be channelized within the network planning of this roadway system in the Cleveland MPO area: in a logical and efficient manner. Func- tional classification defines the nature x The Bradley County Highway Department is the primary agency of this channelization process by defin- responsible for the day-to-day maintenance and operations of ing the part that any particular road or the unincorporated roadways in Bradley County. This consists of street should play in serving the flow of approximately 1,253 county roads totaling 760 miles as well as 90 trips through a highway network. bridges and six traffic signals. The Functional Classification map for x The City of Cleveland Public Works Department is the primary the Cleveland MPO area classifies agency responsible for the day-to-day planning, operations and streets in the area as: Urban Interstate, management of transportation infrastructure within the city lim- Freeway/Expressway, Urban Principal its. This consists of approximately 325 miles as well as 24 bridges and Arterial, Urban Minor Arterial, and Ur- 70 traffic signals. ban Collector. The total mileage of roads in various classifications is limited x The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) plays a sig- within percentage ranges for purposes nificant role in the provision and condition of transportation infra- of the National Highway System classifi- structure in the region. The state maintains nearly 140 miles of cation. roadways throughout the region as well as 83 bridges (of the 199 bridges) in the region. The interstate (Interstate 75) and other freeway (APD 40 south of Waterlevel With the establishment of the MPO, a classified road network Highway) are maintained by TDOT (Functional Classification System) was developed, and is the basis for according to the state transportation planning analysis and future roadway improvements. Functional clas- plan. The “Urban Principal Arterials” are

4 - 1 Chapter 4 to be 5%-10% of the National Highway Figure 4.1 Functional Classification map for the Cleveland MPO area. System; “Major Arterials” are to be 15% to 25%, “Urban Collectors” 5%-10%, and “Local Roads” are to be 65% (not shown on functional classification map).

Interstates and Freeways Interstates/Freeways are limited access divided highways with grade separated junctions and without traffic lights or stop signs.

Examples of Interstates/Freeways:

x Interstate 75 at Exit 20 (APD 40) to Exit 33 (Lauderdale Highway); and x APD 40 is a Freeway/Expressway and runs from Waterlevel Highway (US 64) to Interstate 75 at Exit 20 to the MPO boundary.

Expressway

4 - 2 2035 Regional Transportation Plan | May 2011 Existing Transportation System

Urban Principal Arterials Urban Collectors The urban principal arterial system serves the major centers of activity of The collector street system provides both the MPO area, the highest traffic volume corridors, and the longest trip access to land and traffic circulation destinations. It carries most of the trips entering and leaving the urban within residential neighborhoods, com- area, as well as the majority of through movements desiring to bypass mercial and industrial areas. It differs from the central city. These roads link to the interstates and freeways. the arterial system in that facilities on the collector system may run through resi- Examples of Urban Principal Arterials: dential neighborhoods, providing access to the ultimate destination. The collector x US 64/APD 40/25th Street/ Georgetown Road street also “collects” traffic from local x Paul Huff Parkway from North Lee Highway to Georgetown Road streets in residential neighborhoods and channels it into the arterial system. In the x North Lee Highway/Keith Street/South Lee Highway central business district, and in other areas of like development and traffic den- Examples of Urban Minor Arterials: sity, the collector system may include the x Blue Springs Road/South Ocoee Street/North Ocoee Street from street grid which forms a logical entity for Keith Street to APD 40 traffic circulation. x Dry Valley Road/Michigan Avenue Road Examples of Urban Collectors: x Georgetown Road/Westside Drive/Norman Chapel Road loop x Benton Pike/6th Street/Gaut Street/ Central Avenue from APD 40 to Broad Street x South Lee Highway from APD 40 to south end of MPO boundary x Tasso Lane

Local Street System The local street system is made up of all facilities not on one of the higher systems. It serves primarily to provide direct access to residential areas. Buses typically do not run on local roads. Urban Arterial Road Local Road

4 - 3 Chapter 4

Roadway Performance Table 4.1 Levels of Service One method of analyzing how well Level of General Descriptions of Levels of Service roadways function is to assess them Service based on “Level of Service”. Level of Represents free flow. Individual users are virtually unaffected by the Service is a qualitative measure from A A presence of others in the traffic stream. Freedom to select desired (best) to F (worst) describing opera- speeds and to maneuver within the traffic stream is extremely high. tional conditions within a traffic stream, Within the range of stable flow, but the presence of others in the traffic generally described in terms of such stream begins to be noticeable. Freedom to select desired speeds is factors as speed and travel time, free- B relatively unaffected, but there is a slight decline in the freedom to dom to maneuver, traffic interruptions, maneuver within the traffic stream from LOS A. comfort and convenience, and safety. Within the range of stable flow, but LOS C marks the beginning of the LOS is measured quantitatively by de- C range of flow in which the operation of individual users becomes signifi- gree of volume to capacity ratio. The cantly affected by interactions with others in the traffic stream. transportation industry describes LOS as LOS D represents high-density, but stable flow. Speed and freedom to one of six traffic performance catego- D maneuver are severely restricted, and the driver experiences a gener- ries, as illustrated in Table 4.1. ally poor level of comfort and convenience. LOS E represents operating conditions at or near capacity levels. Free- dom to maneuver within the traffic stream is extremely difficult. Com- E fort and convenience levels are extremely poor and driver frustration is generally high.

LOS F is used to define forced or breakdown flow. This condition exists F when the amount of traffic approaching a point exceeds the amount that can traverse the point.

Figure 4.2 illustrates the current level of service conditions for classified roadways in the Cleveland MPO area. This map shows Level of Service in terms of a “volume to capacity ratio” (categories “A” through “F” can be equated to the color-coded volume-capacity ratios below, where green is the best condition and red is the worst). Currently the roads that show the greatest traffic congestion are Ocoee Street north of 25th Street and Interstate 75 from the County line to Candies Lane.

4 - 4 2035 Regional Transportation Plan | May 2011 Existing Transportation System

Figure 4.2 2008 Roadway Performance. Future Roadway Conditions In coordination with TDOT, the MPO uses a travel demand forecasting model to assess current and future transportation demands within the region. The model provides quantifiable data on current and future roadway deficiencies and was used to assist the MPO in the development of this long range transportation plan. The MPO Travel Demand Model (TDM) follows the traditional four-step planning process. As its name implies, this process has four basic phases:

x Trip generation (the number of trips to be made); x Trip distribution (where those trips go); x Mode choice (how the trips will be divided among the available modes of travel); and x Trip assignment (predicting the route trips will take).

In order to anticipate future conditions, the travel demand model was run for the final year of the Regional Transpor- tation Plan – 2035. Projects that are already “committed” to being completed in the MPO area (those that include funding for preliminary engineering and right-of-way acquisition) were included in the 2035 model conditions.

4 - 5 Chapter 4

Based on the travel demand model Figure 4.3 Roadway Performance, including results, several additional roadways in Existing and Committed Projects. the MPO area showed declining traffic conditions in 2035. This is precipitated by the additional demand placed on the roadways by the future residents and workers in the MPO area. Based on their current design standard, many of roadways will be unable to handle this anticipated additional demand.

Roads that show future issues (See Fig- ure 4.3) include: 25th Street, US 11 (before Inman Street), and Waterlevel Highway. Each of these roads show a “yellow” Level of Service with a v/c ratio between .76 and .90. This is in addition to the roads that were already showing higher congestions levels in 2008. Each of these is anticipated to have a decreased performance in 2035. These roads include: Interstate 75, particularly the southernmost end near Bradley County to Exit 20; Michigan Avenue Road, Ocoee Street and Stuart Road. For the full Travel Demand Model Documentation Report and Analysis, refer to Appendix C. Roadway Safety With the passage of the Safe, Account- able, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA -LU), all states were required to prepare a Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP). 4 - 6 2035 Regional Transportation Plan | May 2011 Existing Transportation System

Additionally, SAFETEA-LU requires that “metropolitan transportation Field Data Collection and Safety plans should include a safety element that incorporates or summa- Observations rizes the priorities, goals, countermeasures, or projects for the MPA Field investigations were conducted to contained in the Strategic Highway Safety Plan required under 23 U. supplement and enhance the safety S. C. 148.” Addressing safety concerns is critical to maintain a safe planning process. As part of the over- transportation system for the traveling public. Safety factors included all Highway Safety Improvement Pro- in SAFETEA-LU address the need to increase the safety and security of gram (HSIP), TDOT prepared a list of the transportation system for motorized and non-motorized users. projects for the Hazard Elimination Safety Program (HESP) and the High Safety must be considered as a key goal in the development of met- Risk Rural Roads (HRRR) program. In a ropolitan and statewide transportation plans and programs. One of review of both the 2010 HESP (crash the goals of the MPO Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) is to “provide data from 2006 to 2008) and 2010 HRRR an efficient, safe and secure transportation network”. The project se- (crash data from 2003 to 2008) lists, lection criterion for the RTP includes safety, as well as security, as a pri- there are no projects in the MPO area. oritization factor. Some of the proposed improvements listed in the However, there is one project on the RTP include widening shoulders and straightening curves. Additional 2010 HRRR list that is located in Bradley improvements, such as adding turning lanes and signals will also serve County, but outside the MPO area. This to create safer traveling conditions. Also, there are specific areas, project is SR 313 from Cedar Springs particularly intersections, which have been identified as high priority Road/Cochise Street to the Bradley- problem areas. Special attention will be given to these in the evalua- Polk County Line. The MPO will con- tion process. tinue to coordinate with TDOT to address issues that may be of concern in Some of the challenges involved in planning for safety in the Cleve- the HSIP in the future. land MPO area include creating a region-wide and/or state-wide system for collecting, analyzing, and sharing important information like crash data and integrating safety conscious planning into long range planning and short-term programs. Currently, there is no single point for collecting, disseminating, and analyzing accident data for the entire MPO study area. For the purposes of the RTP, safety was assessed based on two key elements: discussions with stakeholders (ex. local police department and city engineers) to determine high crash locations, and the consideration of roads with no or very limited shoulders.

4 - 7 Chapter 4

Intersections Table 4.2 Top Ten intersections with the most crashes. A listing of intersections with safety con- 2009 cerns, based on crashes reported in Rank Intersection 2009, was prepared and reviewed by Crash Total the stakeholders. Table 4.2 presents the 1 25th Street at Keith Street 30 top ten locations with the most crashes. 2 Keith Street/North Lee at Paul Huff Parkway/Stuart Road 26 3 25th Street at Ocoee Street 17 Field Safety Review All major classified roadways 4 I-75 at Georgetown Pike 17 (interstates, freeways, expressways, 5 25th Street at Peerless Road 16 principal arterials, and minor arterials) within the area covered under the 6 I-75 at Paul Huff Parkway 12 MPO were reviewed for roadway char- 7 Keith Street at Ocoee Street 11 acteristics and safety concerns. 8 APD 40 at Blackburn Road 10 The National Cooperative Highway Re- 9 Keith Street at Raider Road 10 search Program (NCHRP) Report 500, Volume 6 contains a guide for address- 10 Paul Huff Parkway at SR 60/Georgetown Pike 10 ing run-off-road collisions. Exhibit V-11 from the report estimates that two-lane Figure 4.4 Typical Two-Lane Roadways road crashes increase 15 percent for narrow shoulders and 21 percent for no shoulders. The on-site review included identification of two-lane major classified roadways with narrow shoulders or no shoulders, as typified by photo- graphs of roadways within the MPO boundaries shown in Figure 4.4. Based on the field data collected and the safety observations, Figure 4.5 shows the locations of two-lane roadways having no shoulders or narrow shoulders along with the locations of top in- Narrow Shoulders No Shoulders 4 - 8 2035 Regional Transportation Plan | May 2011 Existing Transportation System

Figure 4.5 Roadway safety concerns. tersections with perceived safety concerns.

Roles in Safety Planning Given the broad range of players in the transportation safety community, institutional challenges can arise in terms of identifying the lead agencies for various strategies. Defining where the appropriate resources and responsibilities exist for implementing strategies is one of the most challenging aspects of transportation safety. Difficul- ties can occur in determining whether the appropriate agency to implement a strategy should be the state DOT, highway safety office, state police/ patrol, MPO, city, county, or another agency. A strong network of partner- ships among people committed to the goal of safety will assist in overcoming this challenge. The Cleveland MPO can serve as a facilitator and an advo- cate for getting these agencies to- gether to address the common goal of safety.

State DOTs have a large role in implementing safety strategies as they conduct ongoing highway construction programs. They also manage the fed- erally mandated Highway Safety Im- provement Program (HSIP). This program authorizes federal-aid funding to achieve a significant reduction in traf-

4 - 9 Chapter 4 fic fatalities and serious injuries on all public roads. The Tennessee SHSP has eight emphasis areas as listed below: Enforcement occurs at both the state level with state troopers, and at the lo- x Improve Decision Making Process and Information Systems cal level with municipal and county x Keep Vehicles in the Proper Lane and Minimize the Effects of police departments. Safety is often an Leaving the Travel Lane issue that local residents find very per- sonal and compelling. Local jurisdic- x Improve Intersection Safety tions can implement transportation x Improve Work Zone Safety safety improvements, such as signage, pavement markings, and pedestrian x Improve Motor Carrier Safety and bicycle facility programs to name x Improve Driver Behavior a few. x Legislation Safety and the Tennessee Strategic x Educational Programs Highway Safety Plan (SHSP) The mission of the Tennessee SHSP is: Each of the eight emphasis areas has associated strategies, some of “Through coordination of education, which only apply at the state level, or deal with areas beyond the enforcement, engineering, and emer- planning that is done by MPO’s (for example motor carrier safety). gency response initiatives reduce the The five emphasis areas and strategies that do relate to the MPO number of crashes that result in fatali- area are: ties, injuries, and related economic losses on Tennessee’s roadways.” x Improve Decision Making Process and Information System x Improve timeliness and accuracy of data collection, analy- The vision of the Tennessee SHSP is: “All sis processes, and systems including the linkage of crash, roadway users arrive safely at their des- roadway, driver, medical, enforcement, conviction, home- tination.” land security data, etc.; x Expand the local agencies’ role and resources to improve The 2009 goal of the Tennessee SHSP is safety; and to: Achieve fewer than 900 fatalities by the end of calendar year 2012. This x Provide web access to the media and the public on key would represent saving at least 144 data and analysis. lives per year based on 2008 fatalities.

4 - 10 2035 Regional Transportation Plan | May 2011 Existing Transportation System x Keep Vehicles in the Proper Lane and Minimize the Effects of Tennessee’s SHSP takes a proactive ap- Leaving the Travel Lane proach to safety planning. It is impor- x Identify corridors and locations with a disproportionately tant that the Cleveland MPO coordi- large number of actual and/or potential for run-off-road nates the SHSP into future project im- and head-on crashes. plementation to ensure they work in tandem. The emphasis areas noted in x Improve Intersection Safety the SHSP should be considered in the x Identify intersections that qualify for the Hazard Elimination planning, design, and construction of Safety Program (HESP) based on severity due to the num- multimodal transportation facilities. ber of fatal and serious injury crashes on the State and local systems; Recommendations for roadway improvements should include aspects of x Implement cost effective intersection safety improvements the SHSP where applicable, be based that address project specific fatal and serious injury crash on an evaluation of accident records, data; an evaluation of traffic control devices, x Achieve increased safety through the implementation of pavement and geometric conditions, the latest design and technology; and intersection design, and other condi- x Provide public information on the importance of compli- tions that exist along the entire system. ance with traffic control devices. Intelligent Transportation Systems x Improve Work Zone Safety Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) re- x Provide work zone training and information for public agen- fers to use of technological innovation to cies and industry personnel; and manage the existing transportation system more effectively, improve its effi- x Ensure appropriate work zone traffic control including ciency, and to make the system more pavement marking and signing. user friendly. A wide variety of ITS tech- nologies are under development or are x Educational Programs being used in cities and towns through- x Conduct training for local and State engineers on the inte- out the US and internationally, ranging gration of safety into the project development process from motorist message signs to auto- (planning, design, construction, maintenance, and opera- matic vehicle locator (AVL) systems on tions) of the highway system; and transit vehicles. x Provide training to representatives of Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Rural Planning Organizations for Road Within the MPO area, two ITS projects are Safety Audit Reviews. in operation, 1) the City of Cleveland co-

4 - 11 Chapter 4 ordinated traffic signal system, and 2) Arterials. TDOT Interstate 75 Fog Detection System. Over the next five to ten years there are The cameras are located at Exit 25, Exit 27, North Lee Highway at Paul several planned expansions to these sys- Huff Parkway, Keith Street at 25th Street, Keith Street at Inman Street, APD tems to better manage transportation 40 at McGrady Drive, and APD 40 at Blackburn Road. Traffic signal on operations within the region. major routes would be synchronized including Paul Huff Parkway, 25th Street, Keith Street, Inman Street, Wildwood Avenue, and Dalton Pike. The City of Cleveland is in the midst of an on-going ITS project in conjunction with The Cleveland ITS Regional Architecture was adopted in 2008. An in- TDOT. One major purpose is to manage telligent transportation system (ITS) architecture is a high level plan for traffic diverted from Interstate 75 during how ITS can be used to address transportation needs in the re- a fog event. A fog warning and inter- gion. An ITS architecture is required by the Federal Highway Admini- state closure system was implemented stration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) in order to use by TDOT to address severe localized fog federal transportation funding on ITS projects. Cleveland’s Architec- events near Cleveland where Interstate ture was developed using three key steps: 75 crosses the Hiwassee River. These fog- x Identify Needs and ITS Inventory events have resulted in multi-car collisions on the interstate in the past. The inter- x Develop ITS Market Packages state can now be closed and traffic di- x Identify Sequence of ITS Projects to Deploy in the Region verted to US 11/Keith Street during such fog events, but this requires communica- Some of the recommended ITS projects identified in the Architecture tion with the fog warning system and the include: Cleveland traffic signal system. The pro- x Signal System Upgrade, CCTV Camera Implementation, and ject extends from about two miles south Traffic Management Enhancements of Paul Huff Parkway (Exit 27) to about two miles north of Exit 30 in McMinn x Over height Detection and Warning System on SR 40/US 64 County. x School Zone Flasher Control System A second aspect of the ITS project is to x Emergency Vehicle Signal Preemption Expansion manage traffic flow through Cleveland’s x Public Works Department Automated Vehicle Location (AVL) signalized intersections, mitigating un- necessary stops. This project has recently x Public Works Department Coordination with TDOT Smartway been completed and includes a fiber Center optic backbone linking all of the traffic The full ITS Architecture Plan is available through the MPO. signals in Cleveland and cameras along

4 - 12 2035 Regional Transportation Plan | May 2011 Existing Transportation System

Walking and Bicycling System Figure 4.6 Existing Sidewalks and Bikeways The pedestrian system in Cleveland and Bradley County is comprised of sidewalks and the greenway system. Sidewalks are commonly found within the downtown central business district, as well as along various residential neighborhoods, along Ocoee Street toward 25th Street, along 25th Street between Keith Street and Ocoee Street, and along Stuart Road from Urbane/Old Tasso Road to North Lee Highway. Public sidewalk construction within the City of Cleveland has been primarily fo- cused on areas around schools and parks. Expanded efforts at sidewalk construction have begun recently within the City’s new CDBG target area which includes low-and moderate-income neighborhoods in the southeastern area of Cleveland.

The City constructed a paved greenway along the South Mouse Creek corridor that is generally adjacent to Keith Street and provides access to employment, shopping, residences, schools, parks, etc. along a broad and densely developed area running north and south through the City of Cleveland. The greenway currently runs from Willow Street to Cleveland High School at Raider Drive. TDOT’s bridge at 25th and Keith Streets was constructed to accommodate the greenway with a pedestrian underpass, and a second pedestrian underpass was built underneath Keith Street beneath the South Mouse Creek bridge near Raider Drive. The next phase of the greenway project will be an extension to the north from Raider Drive to Tinsley Trail. Figure 4.6 shows locations of existing sidewalks and bikeways.

2008 Cleveland MPO Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan Understanding the importance of developing a transportation system that provides more opportunities to walk and bike to destinations, the Cleveland MPO developed a regional bicycle and pedestrian plan for the MPO area in 2008. Through the development of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan for the Cleveland Area MPO, the MPO has made a commitment to develop an enhanced multi-modal transportation system. The plan encourages and supports safety and security for bi-

4 - 13 Chapter 4 cycle and pedestrian travel. Connec- Planning Process tions will be made across all economic The planning process for the bicycle and pedestrian plan began in backgrounds, with the transit system, late 2007 with the collection of existing transportation and community and between the different land uses in conditions. The next step in the process was to evaluate existing con- the MPO planning area. The plan will ditions utilizing several planning level tools which assisted in quantify- preserve and enhance the existing ing the relative demand/need for sidewalks and bikeways. Based on transportation infrastructure. the results of the analysis specific bicycle and pedestrian facility recommendations were developed. Strategies were then identified to The benefits to the Cleveland MPO achieve the stated goals and objectives of the Bicycle and Pedes- planning area will include greater mo- trian Plan. The purpose of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan is listed in bility, lower transportation costs, safer Figure 4.7. streets, cleaner air, less traffic congestion, lower healthcare costs, and an The Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan documents all of the above activities improved quality of life. The Bicycle and also serves as a guide for the MPO and its member jurisdictions to and Pedestrian Plan for the Cleveland achieve the goals of the Plan. Area MPO establishes a plan for a multi -modal transportation system that will make the vision of a bicycle and pe- Figure 4.7 Purpose of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan. destrian friendly community a reality.

The Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan is an x Evaluate the land use and development patterns of the MPO area important planning document for the to identify locations for bicycle and pedestrian connectivity; MPO as it documents future bicycle x Identify existing bicycle and pedestrian facility infrastructure gaps and pedestrian needs within the MPO and needs; area and establishes necessary pro- x Provide adequate facilities for non-motorized transportation modes jects, policies, and programs for non- and encourage the use of these facilities; motorized accommodations. Recom- mendations of the Bicycle and Pedes- x Increase the safety and security of the transportation system for motorized and non-motorized users; trian Plan will be discussed in Chapter 5 of the Regional Transportation Plan. x Maximize the multimodal function of the existing streets; The full Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan x Determine locations for improving connectivity in the existing bicy- can be found on the MPO’s website. cle and pedestrian infrastructure while considering the cost; and x Develop budget cost estimates, implementation strategies, and

identify funding sources.

4 - 14 2035 Regional Transportation Plan | May 2011 Existing Transportation System

Plan Goals From these goals a series of implement- As part of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan, goals were established to ing objectives were also established. aid in the implementation of the Plan. These goals include: These objectives are listed in Figure 4.8.

x Promote alternatives to vehicular travel by providing realistic transportation options for pedestrians and bicyclists; x Provide safe and accessible facilities for all of Cleveland’s pedestrians and cyclists; x Encourage bicycle and pedestrian facility use for all types of users; and x Follow organized, rational, and systematic methods of project implementation.

Figure 4.8 Primary objectives of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan.

x Incorporating bicycle and pedestrian facilities into major transportation projects of the city, county, and state; x Encouraging street interconnectivity between developments, neighborhoods, and commercial activities; x Educating Cleveland’s citizens on “Share the Road” concepts which promote safe streets; x Upgrading existing facilities to meet or exceed current state and federal standards for safety and accessibility; x Promoting uniformity in the designation and operation of bicycle and pedestrian facilities (e.g. consistent pavement markings, signage, pedestrian signals, etc.); x Establishing a sidewalk management system for inventorying and monitoring sidewalk conditions and develop a method for funding needed ongoing sidewalk maintenance and replacement needs; x Planning for off-street (greenway) facilities to encourage recreational use; x Developing bicycle and pedestrian linkages between potential high-use locations (e.g. schools, parks, etc.); x Prioritizing needs based on demand/use, safety, funding availability, and other established methods; x Structuring planning methods to maximize eligibility for state and federal grants for implementation; and x Incorporating the Cleveland MPO Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan into established planning processes such as TDOT’s planning and programming process and the City’s and County’s development review and budgeting processes.

4 - 15 Chapter 4

Transit Figure 4.9 Existing Cleveland Transit Fixed Route Bus System. Fixed-route transit service within the Cleveland Urban Area is provided by the Cleveland Urban Area Transit Sys- tem (CUATS), including a deviated service which is available to ADA-eligible passengers. The deviated fixed-route system means that the buses operate on established routes and serve regular bus stops, but the buses can also pick- up/drop-off riders a short distance off the route. Curb-to-curb paratransit service is provided by the Southeast Ten- nessee Human Resource Agency (SETHRA), which provides both an Ac- cess to Jobs Program and a Rural Transportation Program within its nine- county service area. CUATS began operating its deviated fixed-route system in 2005, while SETHRA has operated a rural transportation system since 1974.

The fixed-route bus system is comprised of five routes, shown in Figure 4.9.

Four of the routes, the Orange, Green, Blue, and Red routes, originate at the Cleveland Depot, a transfer point located near the intersection of Edwards and Inman Streets, adjacent to the rail- way. The fifth route, the Gold Route, operates between Cleveland Utilities, near the intersection of 25th Street and

4 - 16 2035 Regional Transportation Plan | May 2011 Existing Transportation System

Interstate 75 and the YMCA at Bradley County Park, serving the shop- Medical Center Pharmacy. The regular ping destinations along Paul Huff Parkway. Transfers to Green and fare is $1.00, with a discounted fare of Orange Routes from the Gold Route are possible at Bradley Square $0.75 for students and $0.50 for seniors. Mall. The other transfer point in the system is between the Blue and A monthly Eagle Pass costs $20.00 and Red Routes, at the Dalton Pike Walmart Super Center. $10.00 for seniors and the disabled. Twenty-ride tickets are available for The Orange, Green, Blue, and Red Routes operate thirteen hours a $10.00 ($5.00 for seniors and the dis- day from 6:00 AM to 7:00 PM, departing every 60 minutes from the abled), and a day pass costs $2.00. Cleveland Depot. The Gold Route also has a 60 minute frequency, but operates just under seven hours per day, from 8:30 AM to 3:15 PM. SETHRA paratransit service costs $0.75 per stop for trips within a single county. SETHRA’s paratransit service operates Monday through Friday, from Trips to neighboring counties are $2.00, 7:00 AM to 4:30 PM. Reservations for local trips must be made 24 and $4.00 to Chattanooga. hours in advance, or 72 hours in advance for non-local trips, including trips to Chattanooga. Type of Vehicles The CUATS fleet consists of fourteen cut Previous Plans -away buses, all of which are In 2004, Transystems Corporation completed the City of Cleveland, equipped to carry wheelchair passen- Tennessee Transit Service Plan, which analyzed the existing conditions gers. Eleven of the buses are in active and demand for transit service within the Cleveland Urban Area. use, with three available as backup vehicles. The previous long range transportation plan (2030 LRTP) was adopted in mid-2007, after CUATS had been in operation for a little over one year. The plan describes the potential for adding one or two new routes to its three route system, dependent upon transit demand, growth in ridership, and availability of funds. The plan also acknowl- edges that the main impetus for expanding transit service, at least in the short term, will be to serve the population with a need for transit services, rather than mitigating traffic congestion. In the interim time period, CUATS has adjusted its three original routes to better serve trip attractors and added two additional routes to the system.

Fares Tickets for use on CUATS fixed-route system can be purchased at the Old Chattanooga Pike Transit Center, the Municipal Building, or the

4 - 17 Chapter 4

Ridership Figure 4.10 Annual Fixed Route Ridership and Paratransit Ridership. Ridership on CUATS fixed-route buses has increased dramatically since the service began operating in 2005. In 2005/2006, there were 12,672 passenger trips on CUATS fixed-route buses. By 2008/2009, passenger trips had grown to 39,032, a 208% increase. An- nual ridership by route is shown in Fig- ure 4.11. While it appears that ridership on the Gold Route fell substantially in 2008/2009, this is probably not the case. The 2008/2009 Gold Route does not follow the same route pattern as the Gold Route ran in previous years, and should probably be considered as a new route. The Blue and Green Routes cover much of the area where the old Gold Route originally operated.

By contrast, demand for paratransit service in the Cleveland Urban Area remained fairly level from 2005-2009, as shown in Figure 4.10. Para-transit ridership was highest in 2006/2007, with 25,162 passenger trips.

Revenue Figure 4.11 shows annual revenues by route. While revenue remained flat Orange Route produced the largest amount of revenue ($1,989), from 2005/2006 to 2006/2007, the last while the new Gold Route produced the least ($568). two fiscal years show a steady increase in revenue which is consistent with in- Passenger trips per revenue hour for 2008/2009 were calculated using creases in ridership. In 2008/2009, the the CUATS current schedule for Monday-Friday operation. The results are shown in Figure 4.12. The new Green Route, operating between

4 - 18 2035 Regional Transportation Plan | May 2011 Existing Transportation System

Figure 4.11 Annual Fixed Route Revenues by Route. Gold Route has the lowest productivity, with only 1.37 passengers per hour.

Transit Potential Demographic information can be used as indicators of potential for transit ridership. Key indicators of transit potential include population density, household income, access to private vehicles, and groups that traditionally use transit in greater numbers than the population at large, including minorities, seniors, and the disabled. This analysis uses these demographic indicators to identify the geographic areas with the most potential for transit rider- downtown Cleveland and Bradley Square Mall has the highest pro- ship in the Cleveland Urban Area. All ductivity, with 3.14 passengers per hour, followed closely by the Red demographic information is derived Route, serving southeast Cleveland and the Dalton Pike Walmart. The from the 2000 US Census Block Group data which is the most recent year this Figure 4.12 Passenger trips per Revenue Hour. data is available at the block group level.

4 - 19 Chapter 4

Population Density Figure 4.13 Population Density in Cleveland MPO Area. Population density is a major indicator of potential transit ridership; the higher the population density, the more likely people are to use transit. Figure 4.13 shows population density in persons per acre for the Cleveland Urbanized Area, as defined by the 2000 Census (the census urbanized area differs from the area served by the MPO). Popula- tion density outside of the Cleveland Urban Area is very low, with fewer than 0.5 persons per acre in most of Bradley County. Even within the MPO boundary, population density is fairly low, with relatively higher densities confined to the loop formed by Interstate 75 and SR 60/Appalachian Highway. Areas of low-to-moderate density (charact- erized by single family homes) are found along Interstate 75 and near Bradley Square Mall to the north, and southeast of the Appalachian Highway in the town of South Cleveland. The only block groups with a population density greater than four persons per acre are located in downtown Cleve- land, to the south of 20th Street and east of Keith Street.

The map indicates that most of the per acre) that are not well served by fixed-routes, including south of higher density areas are already Appalachian Highway in the town of South Cleveland, most of East served by one or more CUATS fixed- Cleveland, and north of 25th Street and east of Ocoee Street in the route buses. There are several areas City of Cleveland. Development patterns in these areas should be with moderate densities (2-4 persons examined to identify candidates for future fixed-route service. 4 - 20 2035 Regional Transportation Plan | May 2011 Existing Transportation System

Median Household Income and Zero Vehicle Households median household incomes are lo- Median household income and zero car households measure differ- cated in the southeast part of the City ent things, but are both indicators of households that may use public of Cleveland and East Cleveland. transportation because they do not have access to a private automobile. Low household income does not necessarily equate to lack Figure 4.15 shows the percentage of of access to a private automobile, but there is a strong correlation households with zero vehicles. The between low income and transit use. block groups with the highest percentage of zero vehicle households are al- Figure 4.14 shows median household income. The block groups with most a mirror image of the block the highest median household incomes are located to the northeast groups with lowest median household of the City of Cleveland, in close proximity to Interstate 75 and US 11 incomes. Near the core of the City of (North Lee Highway). Conversely, the block groups with the lowest Cleveland, there are a few block

Figure 4.14 Median Household Income of Cleveland Area. Figure 4.15 Households in Cleveland Area with zero vehicles.

4 - 21 Chapter 4 groups where greater than 20% of cult and which make public transportation a more likely transporta- households do not own a private vehi- tion choice. Figure 4.16 maps the percentage of the population that cle, indicating a high potential for tran- is 65 years or older in the Cleveland MPO Area. The map shows that sit ridership. the senior population is fairly evenly distributed across the urbanized area, with a slightly higher percentage of seniors in the Cleveland Senior Population block groups located to the north of Inman Street. Seniors, defined as people age 65 and older, are another group that rides Minority Population public transportation in greater num- For the purposes of this analysis, minority population is the non-white bers than the population at large. Sen- population as defined by the US Census. For a variety of social and iors may have physical issues which economic reasons, minorities tend to ride public transportation in make operating a private vehicle diffi- greater numbers than the population at large. Figure 4.17 maps the

Figure 4.16 Population Age 65 and over. Figure 4.17 Minority population.

4 - 22 2035 Regional Transportation Plan | May 2011 Existing Transportation System percentage of the population that is non-white. While block groups Urban Area. The map indicates that within the City of Cleveland have higher percentages of minorities the disabled are dispersed fairly evenly than the rest of Bradley County, there is no discernable pattern within across the Cleveland Urban Area and the city. The block group with the highest percentage of minority Bradley County, with some areas of population is located near downtown Cleveland, just north of Inman higher percentages near the core of Street and the Cleveland Depot. the City of Cleveland.

Persons with Disabilities Human Services Coordination Plan The disabled population rides public transportation in greater num- A Human Services Coordination Plan bers than the general public because of the barriers that their disabili- was developed by the Southeast Hu- ties present to operating a private automobile. Figure 4.18 maps the man Resource Agency (SETHRA) in co- percentage of persons with one or more disabilities in the Cleveland ordination with the public and key stakeholder. The purpose of the plan is Figure 4.18 Disabled Population of Cleveland Area. to identify current gaps in service, develop a plan to meet the gaps and to determine new ways services can be better coordinated. This plan will be updated regularly to remain current.

4 - 23 Chapter 4

Freight Transportation and The three primary elements of the study include: Intermodal Connectivity x A regional freight profile, which describes commodity flows in The increasing economic competitive- the area, freight infrastructure, and freight-related economic ac- ness among regions within the US, and tivity; the globalization of the economy have further increased the importance of a x Outreach to the private sector, including feedback from key metropolitan area’s freight transportation freight stakeholders in the region; and infrastructure. The deregulation of freight transportation dramatically changed x An inventory of freight issues, needs, and potential solutions to business practices and created new be considered in the context of the broader RTP update. competitive opportunities across modes. The changing nature of business prac- A key first step in helping to more effectively integrate freight issues tices, with an emphasis on reliable, just-in- within a region’s transportation planning and programming activities time delivery, places a premium on the is to develop a detailed understanding of the type and weight of efficient operation of the freight transpor- commodities moving into, out of, and within the area; the modes on tation system. It also increases the bur- which those commodities are moving; and how those movements den on that infrastructure. are expected to change in the future. Understanding these commodity flow patterns is critical to help area transportation planners A freight management study is an im- better assess the ways in which freight vehicles are using the transpor- portant element of the RTP update, tation system, and how freight movements contribute to system ca- and is noted as such by the Federal pacity and congestion issues, bridge stress, pavement consumption, Highway Administration (FHWA), Fed- economic development, and quality of life. Economic vitality, quality eral Transit Administration (FTA), and of life, and system preservation are all key goals of the long-range Tennessee Department of Transporta- planning process. tion (TDOT). The following pages provide a summary of key elements of the Overall Commodity Flows Cleveland MPO’s Freight Management Cleveland is situated on Interstate 75, which is an important trade Study, which can be found in Appen- corridor for local, interstate, and international freight. This means that dix E. infrastructure in Cleveland is important to trade flows far beyond the region.

According to TRANSEARCH data, overall freight flows in Bradley County totaled 9.4 million tons in 2007, making Bradley County commodity flows the 10th highest in the state by weight. By 2035, total

4 - 24 2035 Regional Transportation Plan | May 2011 Existing Transportation System freight tonnage is expected to reach 18.9 million tons, a 2.5 percent Figure 4.19 also highlights a couple of average annual growth rate. This would make the county’s freight key future trends for freight in the MPO tonnage the 7th highest in the state. region:

Figure 4.19 shows these total flows by movement type. Incoming x Incoming freight movements are freight shipments formed the majority of movements in Bradley expected to grow faster than the County at 5.7 million tons in 2007, or 61 percent of the total. Outgoing other movement types, reaching movements comprised most of the rest (3.3 million tons, or 35 per- 65 percent of the total by 2035 cent), while shipments moving strictly within Bradley County made up (12.2 million tons). This will be the remainder (about 415,000 tons, or four percent of the total). driven by population growth and urbanization, which creates a larger local consuming market for Figure 4.19 Total Bradley County Freight Flows by Type of Movement (2007 and goods that must be shipped. 2035) x Shipments from Bradley County will also grow quickly, reaching approximately 5.8 million tons by 2035. These movements represent the output of local businesses and industries. Growth in Cleveland’s key industrial sectors will create this additional freight demand. x Intra-county movements are expected to remain at four percent of overall shipments by weight, but are anticipated to nearly dou- ble to 800,000 tons. Since these movements are short by defini- tion, virtually all of them will be made by truck, thus translating into additional truck trips on local streets and highways.

4 - 25 Chapter 4

Freight Mode Splits Figure 4.20 Bradley County Freight Mode Shares (2007 and 2035). It is important to determine how freight is moving along the system in order to get a sense of modal dependencies and traffic patterns. Figure 4.20 shows current (2007) and future (2035) freight mode shares for Bradley County by weight. Trucks move the vast majority of Bradley County’s freight shipments (91 percent, or 8.5 million tons), with rail making up the remaining nine percent (835,000 tons).

The trucks’ share is expected to grow in the future to 93 percent (17.6 million lion tons), and secondary traffic (10 percent, or 981,000 tons). These tons); although rail volumes are also commodities tend to reflect Bradley County’s major industries. For expected to expand, they will do so at instance, Vulcan Materials operates a quarry in Cleveland which pro- a slower rate, thus leading to a lower duces aggregates, sand, rip rap, and base material; most of these market share. products are then sold locally as inputs to other industries, such as concrete products. Olin Chemical Corporation has a substantial pro- Top Commodities Analyzing the types of commodities Figure 4.21 Top 5 Commodities in Bradley County by Weight 2007 moving to, from, and within a region provides insights into the area’s economy and which important local industries are being served or supplied via the freight network. Figure 4.21 presents the top five commodities (by weight) in Bradley County for 2007. As the chart demonstrates, freight tonnage in the Cleveland area is heavily concentrated in a few commodity groups, including nonmetallic minerals (45 percent of the total, or 4.2 million tons), chemicals (22 percent, or 2.1 mil-

4 - 26 2035 Regional Transportation Plan | May 2011 Existing Transportation System duction facility in Charleston which produces chlorine, caustic soda, the map demonstrates, the region and other chemicals for local, regional, and national markets. trades most extensively with nearby counties as well as larger metropolitan The top five commodities are not expected to change in the coming areas like Knoxville, Memphis, and years but their volumes will grow substantially, as shown in Table 4.3. Nashville. In the future, trading volumes will continue to cluster around major metropolitan areas as urban Table 4.3 Top 5 Commodities in Bradley County by Weight 2035 Projected populations continue to grow. Average Thousands Percent Commodity Annual Growth of Tons of Total Multimodal Freight Infrastructure Rate Cleveland’s freight infrastructure is ex- Nonmetallic 9,230 49% 3% tensive and multimodal. It includes key Minerals regional/national truck corridors such Chemicals or 4,043 21% 2% as Interstate 75, a Norfolk Southern Rail- Allied Products road trunk line, and an inland water- Secondary Traffic 2,585 14% 4% Figure 4.22 Bradley County Intrastate Trading Partners 2007 and Clay, Concrete, Glass, 861 5% 1% 2035 or Stone Electrical 805 4% 3% Equipment All Others 1,369 7% 1%

Key Trading Partners Bradley County trades extensively with other counties, states, and for- eign countries. Since most Bradley County freight is carried by truck, population and economic growth in the regions with which it trades will lead directly to additional truck traffic on area roadways. The preponderance of Bradley County freight is moving to or from other Tennessee counties; in 2007, these movements totaled approximately 4.1 million tons, or 44 percent of the total. Within Tennessee, Bradley County conducts the most trade with nearby Meigs, Hamilton, and Rhea Counties. Other key Tennessee trading partners include Shelby County, Polk County, and McMinn County. Figure 4.22 illustrates Brad- ley County intrastate freight volumes by county in 2007 and 2035. As

4 - 27 Chapter 4 way link to the Mississippi River system Figure 4.23 Important truck freight routes. via the Hiwassee River. This section describes the region’s freight infrastructure by mode and analyzes the key trends that could impact regional freight demand in the future.

Truck Activity in the Region Trucks handle more than 90 percent of freight shipments by weight in Cleve- land and Bradley County, so understanding truck traffic patterns is crucial to freight transportation decision- making in the region. This section describes truck volumes and traffic patterns in Cleveland and identifies major truck generators and key commodities moving by truck.

Key Freight Routes Cleveland has an extensive network of roadways serving truck movements. Figure 4.23 depicts the primary freight corridors in the region. These were identified based on the 2030 LRTP, combined with stakeholder feedback received at the Freight Forum held in April 2010. Important truck freight routes are listed in Figure 4.24.

These routes are critical for many area businesses. For instance, Whirlpool puts about 7,000 trailers per year onto 20th Street, Michigan Avenue, and US 64 – amounting to about 35 per day.

4 - 28 2035 Regional Transportation Plan | May 2011 Existing Transportation System

Figure 4.25 Truck Traffic Volumes and Key Freight Generators. Figure 4.24 Key truck freight routes.

x 20th Street x Sgt. Paul B. Huff Parkway x 25th Street x SR 40 x SR 60/ Dalton Pike/ Georgetown x 6th Street Road x APD 40 Bypass x Stuart Street x Î75 x Tasso Lane x Lee Highway x U.S. 11/U.S. 64 x Lower River Road x U.S. 74 x Michigan Avenue Road x Westland Drive

Truck Traffic Volumes and Key Freight Generators Figure 4.25 shows the location of major truck freight generators in Cleveland. These are companies in freight-dependent industries that have at least 50 employees, as identified in the Cleveland-Bradley Chamber of Commerce’s 2009 Industrial Directory. As the map shows, there are several types of businesses that generate truck traffic:

x Manufacturers, including Whirlpool, M&M Mars, Olin Corporation, and Duracell (among several others) are located throughout the MPO region; x Warehouses and Distribution Centers, such as Peyton’s South- eastern, which is the contract distributor for Kroger’s Grocery Stores (note that many of the manufacturers also operate distribution facilities); and x Trucking Firms, including First Fleet which has two truck terminals in the area.

Many of these firms are located near Interstate 75, particularly around APD 40 and Old Tasso Road, both of which offer convenient access

4 - 29 Chapter 4 to the interstate. However, several Figure 4.26 Estimated truck traffic. companies are located closer in to town or within the downtown area, which means trucks serving these locations must navigate through these areas. As a result, they may conflict with passenger or pedestrian traffic. Some trucks may also be forced to use roadways that have not been specifically designed for large freight vehicles. For instance, certain geometric character- istics such as tight turning radii are less than ideal for trucks.

Many of these locations already are experiencing substantial truck traffic, as shown in Figure 4.26. The maps show estimated daily truck traffic in 2003 and forecast to 2030. Wider lines represent greater truck traffic. Al- though Interstate 75 is clearly the main x Dalton Pike/SR 60 south of Cleveland; freight arterial in the region, it is interest- ing to note the expected growth in x Georgetown Road/SR 60 to the northwest of the city; truck flows on Cleveland roadways x Lauderdale Memorial Highway/Lower River Road west of Inter- that link area businesses to Interstate state 75; 75. x US 11 between 25th Street and the McMinn County line. Key links that are expected to see sig- x US 11 between APD 40 and Harrison Pike; and nificant truck freight growth include: x US 64/US 74/APD 40 east of Cleveland. x 25th Street between Interstate 75 Another way to look at truck freight flows is to consider the percent- and US 64/APD 40; age of trucks in the overall traffic stream on a given road. Many x APD 40 between Interstate 75 and roads experience relatively low-overall volumes, but if a large share of US 11; total traffic is composed of heavy-duty trucks this indicates that the

4 - 30 2035 Regional Transportation Plan | May 2011 Existing Transportation System road is an important freight link. Oftentimes these roads serve as the Table 4.4 shows adjusted average daily primary link between local freight-generating businesses and the re- traffic, truck traffic percentages, and gional or national transportation network. truck volumes for selected locations in the Cleveland area. These locations correspond to TDOT traffic recording Table 4.4 High Truck Percentage Locations in Cleveland 2009. stations and therefore may not include Adjusted all locations in Cleveland where trucks Percentage Location Average Daily AADTT form a large share of the traffic mix. of Trucks Traffic However, they do show examples of locations where trucks form a signifi- Lower River Road between Ledford 1,682 15% 252 Island Road and Eureka Road cant proportion of total traffic. US 74/APD 40 between Interstate 75 Several of these roads (Lower River 18,229 14% 2,552 and Lee Highway Road, Cass Lane, Lauderdale Memo- Cass Lane between Swafford Lane rial Highway) serve the chemical 1,793 13% 233 and Hiwassee Road manufacturers along the Hiwassee River north of Cleveland. Others – such Lauderdale Memorial Highway be- as US 74/APD 40 and 20th Street – are tween Mouse Creek Road and 4,137 8% 331 important for both freight and passen- Hughes Avenue ger movements and were identified by Spring Place Road between Stinnet freight stakeholders as important routes 7,039 7% 493 Road and Million Drive for local commerce. Weatherly Switch Road between 714 7% 50 Weatherly Switch Trail and Dalton Pike There is the potential for trucks to come into conflict with surrounding land uses Lead Mine Valley Road between that may not be conducive to freight Robert Green Road and Weatherly 467 7% 33 movement. For instance, trucks access- Switch Trail ing the Olin Chemical plant often use 20th Street SE between Blythe Avenue Lauderdale Memorial Highway and Hi- 2,415 7% 169 and Foster Lane wassee Street, taking them through the th Spring Place Road between Gap middle of Charleston. Similarly, 20 Street 1,768 6% 106 Springs Road and Easley Ford Road passes through several areas zoned for residential uses, creating the potential for Ladd Springs Road between Shannon 1,768 6% 106 freight/passenger conflicts and quality-of Drive and Davis Road -life issues.

4 - 31 Chapter 4

Rail Inventory Figure 4.27 Norfolk Southern Route Map. Freight rail service in the MPO region is provided by Norfolk Southern (NS), which is one of the seven North Ameri- can Class I freight railroads. NS operates about 21,000 route miles of track in 22 states; primarily in the Eastern half of the country (See Figure 4.27). NS employed more than 30,000 people in 2008 and handled 195 billion ton-miles of revenue freight. Within Tennessee, Norfolk Southern’s tracks are chiefly located in the eastern part of the state around Chattanooga, Knoxville, and Johnson City.

Figure 4.28 shows the rail network in the MPO region. NS is the only railroad operating in Bradley County, although CSX operates tracks in neighboring McMinn and Polk Counties. NS has two lines that converge in the Cleveland MPO area from the southwest; the con- solidated line then runs northeasterly bly. Crossings on the two branches south of the Cleveland MPO area through Bradley County before cross- experience about ten train movements per day according to the ing the Hiwassee River into McMinn Federal Rail Administration. The location with the heaviest rail traffic is County. There is a spur that serves the the 20th Street crossing, which handles approximately 29 trains per Olin Chemical facility. day, typically moving between 15 and 30 miles per hour. Stakeholder feedback indicates that this crossing also suffers from poor sight dis- Grade Crossings tance and grade issues, while the fact that it is located at a private There are 30 public at-grade rail cross- industrial park contributes to extra passenger and freight vehicle traf- ings in the Cleveland/Bradley County fic. area, as shown in Figure 4.28. Rail traffic at these crossings varies considera-

4 - 32 2035 Regional Transportation Plan | May 2011 Existing Transportation System

The next most heavily used crossings Figure 4.28 Bradley County Rail Network. are those at Cass Street, Market Street, Wool Street, and Sheffey Road in Charleston, all of which serve the industrial land uses in that area. Some of these locations lie on important truck freight routes as well. For instance, Whirlpool puts 7,000 tractor trailers per year onto 20th Street, or about 35 per day. Waterway Inventory The State of Tennessee is strategically located on the United States inland waterway system. More than 1,000 miles of navigable waterways within the state provide connections to river ports in 21 states and deepwater ports in Houston, Mobile, and New Orleans. Inland waterway access in Bradley County is provided by the Hiwassee River, which is maintained by the Ten- nessee Valley Authority (TVA) at an au- thorized depth of ten feet. The river forms the boundary between Bradley County and neighboring McMinn County, and connects the region to the Tennessee River approximately 22 miles to the west. The Tennessee River forms a critical river corridor for shipments of aggregates, petroleum, grain/feed, metals, and chemicals.

4 - 33 Chapter 4

As shown in Figure 4.29, there currently Figure 4.29 Bradley County Waterways and Ports. are six intermodal port facilities on the Hiwassee River, two of which are located in Bradley County (the other four are in McMinn County). Both of the Bradley County terminals are owned and operated by the Olin Chemical Corporation. Each has access to Inter- state 75 as well as Norfolk Southern rail service. Of the four facilities in McMinn County, three are owned by AbitibiBo- water, which produces newsprint; the other is owned by Southern Ionics, another chemical manufacturer.

The Chickamauga Lock, located at Mile 471 of the Tennessee River in Chat- tanooga, is a strategic link between the Hiwassee River and the rest of the inland waterway system. This lock provides Bradley County shippers access to 318 miles of navigable waterways upstream of the lock, ultimately con- necting to the Mississippi and Ohio River systems. The Chickamauga Lock is owned by the TVA and operated by the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). Although the lock has served its function well for 70 years, it suffers from two structural concerns and capacity constraints. To deal with these problems, the USACE, Nashville District currently is rebuilding Chickamauga Lock. The reconstructed lock will measure 110 feet by 600 feet (large

4 - 34 2035 Regional Transportation Plan | May 2011 Existing Transportation System enough to handle nine jumbo barges) and is scheduled to be com- will produce polysilicon, a key material plete by 2015. This will help to ensure the continued viability of water- used to make solar panels and semi- borne commerce in the area. conductors. It will be the first such factory built by the firm outside Germany. Trends Impacting Freight Demand This facility will be located on the Hi- There are several trends and new developments that may impact fu- wassee River, near Olin Chemical (Olin ture freight demand in the MPO region. These are summarized be- will be a key supplier to the new fac- low. tory). Given the high-value nature of the product, most if not all of it will likely Chattanooga Volkswagen Plant ship by truck, potentially exacerbating Volkswagen of America (VW) currently is building a new automobile existing truck traffic issues in North production plant at the Enterprise South Industrial Park in Chatta- Cleveland. nooga. The plant is scheduled to begin operations in 2011 and will produce a new midsized sedan designed for the American market. Chickamauga Lock Condition VW expects to produce 114,000 cars annually when the plant opens, As noted previously, the Chickamauga rising to 173,000 units per year by 2014. TDOT recently completed a Lock suffers from structural and capac- study evaluating the likely freight impacts of this new factory. Some ity problems which impact river freight of this freight will affect Bradley County and Cleveland due to its prox- operations. The condition of the lock imity to Chattanooga. continues to be an issue for the freight community in Cleveland. At the Norfolk Southern Crescent Corridor Cleveland Freight Forum in April 2010, The NS lines in Bradley County are part of the Norfolk Southern Cres- stakeholders noted that if this lock were cent Corridor, which is a major capacity investment currently being to close, there are several companies undertaken by the railroad. NS is working to develop high-speed in- that would shut down completely. termodal service linking the Gulf Coast to the Northeast, roughly in Others would reduce their operations parallel with the Î75/Î81 corridor through Tennessee. Corridor pro- significantly. Remaining freight would jects include straightening curves, signal upgrades, new intermodal have to be shipped via rail or truck, terminals (including a possible location in Eastern Tennessee), and which could potentially lead to higher adding passing tracks. The railroad estimates that there are up to costs for end customers. The extra one million annual divertible truck trips along the corridor. truck and rail traffic would also add to congestion in the region. Wacker Chemie Facility Wacker Chemie AG (a German chemical company) recently an- nounced that it would build a $1 billion factory in Charleston which

4 - 35 Chapter 4

New Airport II of the project being recently signed in October 2010. Total cost of the Hardwick Field, located on Airport new airport is approximately $42 million with funding coming as a split be- Road NW just off Lee Highway, is the tween federal, state and local sources. It is estimated that Hardwick Field only public use airport in Bradley presently experiences only about 1,300 take-offs and landings per year County. It is a general aviation facility with only about 520 of these being corporate aircraft operations and the with no cargo activity at this time. Over rest being recreational flying, training, etc. the last ten years there has been overwhelming support by aircraft us- Air transportation plays an important role within the local economy of the ers to upgrade the airport to meet region and offers a diversity of transportation options to industry and pri- the design standards for a C-II air- vate individuals. Integration of the new airport and aviation transport craft, which includes business jets. within the region is essential to serving existing and attracting new indus- Currently, Hardwick Field does not try to the region, and in making more efficient use of existing transporta- meet Federal Aviation Administration tion resources. (FAA) geometric design standards for a B-11 airport. Expansion opportunities at Security of the Transportation System Hardwick Field are limited due to the Security is an important component of the metropolitan transportation slope and length of its runway and sur- planning process. Metropolitan planning organizations are charged with rounding residential development. In considering ways to increase the security of the transportation system for 2006 the Municipal Airport Authority motorized and non-motorized users. Security was designated as a stand- completed an Airport Master Plan call- alone planning factor by SAFETEA-LU. The Cleveland MPO’s primary role ing for the construction of a new 340 in planning for the security in the region is to provide support to existing acre airport off Michigan Avenue and Federal, state and local agencies in the implementation of their security Dry Valley Road. The new airport is to plans. consist of a runway constructed with proper safety, parking apron, terminal Agencies Involved in the Security of the Transportation System building, and two 10,000 gallon fuel Planning for security for the region and in the region’s transportation sys- tanks and will be located off of Tasso tem is the responsibility of many agencies and entities. Their work in this Lane, near Michigan Avenue. area is interrelated and their responsibilities sometimes coincide, as secu- Twenty-five hangars will be con- rity depends on extensive communication and coordination, in both the structed, including T-hangars, cor- planning and execution of security measures. As discussed above, the porate, and conventional. role of the MPO is to support these agencies in their security plan development and implementation. Key agencies in the MPO area that are Construction of the new airport is cur- involved in providing for the security of the transportation system include: rently underway, with contracts for Phase

4 - 36 2035 Regional Transportation Plan | May 2011 Existing Transportation System

• Cleveland/Bradley County Emergency Management Agency of the Bradley County - McMinn County (EMA) border. • Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) The NHMP identifies goals, information, • Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and measures for hazard mitigation and risk reduction to make Bradley County • Tennessee Department of Homeland Security and its communities more disaster resis- • Cleveland and Bradley County Fire and Police Departments tant and sustainable. In addition, mitiga- • SETHRA tion actions can protect critical community facilities, reduce exposure to liability, Each of these agencies has their own separate, but inter-related plans and minimize community disruption. In- and/or policies related to security planning. The following summarizes formation in the plan can also be used to additional details of the key agencies and plans that have been identi- help guide and coordinate mitigation fied. activities and local policy decisions for future land use decisions within commu- Cleveland/Bradley County Emergency Management Agency nities. The Cleveland/Bradley County EMA adopted the Bradley County Natu- ral Hazard Mitigation Plan (NHMP) in February of 2007. This plan seeks to Sequoyah Planning develop a comprehensive strategy to reduce the impacts of natu- Additionally, a portion of Bradley County ral hazards in the cities of Cleveland and Charleston and the unincorpo- lies within the ten-mile Emergency Plan- rated areas of Bradley County. The rising costs and apparent increase ning Zone (EPZ) for the Sequoyah Nu- in the rate of occurrence of natural disasters has led to the need clear Power Plant located in Hamilton to identify additional ways to reduce the county’s vulnerability to County. Cleveland / Bradley County natural hazards before the next disaster actually occurs. EMA is actively involved in the planning and exercising of the facilities emer- Based on a review of past natural disasters in Bradley County, and across gency plans and conducts hands-on the State of Tennessee, the Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan highlights drills every two years with TVA officials fourteen hazards as presenting a significant potential risk to the commu- and other affected counties. nities of Bradley County. These hazards include flooding (including dam failure), winter storms, thunderstorms (and associated hail, lightning, and Tennessee Office of Homeland Security high winds), tornado activity, as well as extreme high temperatures, land- The Tennessee Office of Homeland Secu- slides and erosion, earthquakes, drought, wildfires and fog. The most sig- rity has the primary responsibility and au- nificant of these is flooding. Although Bradley County has not been the thority for directing statewide activities scene of serious accidents relating to fog along the Interstate-75 corridor, pertaining to the prevention of, and pro- deadly automobile accidents on I-75 have occurred within a few miles tection from, terrorist related events. This

4 - 37 Chapter 4 responsibility includes the development and implementation of a comprehensive and coordinated strategy to secure the state from terrorist threats and at- tacks. Further, the office of Homeland Security serves as a liaison between federal, state and local agencies, and private sector on matters relating to the security of our state and citizens.

This agency also has a Critical Infrastruc- ture Division that is charged with enhanc- ing and protecting critical infrastructure and key resources statewide.

Transit Security A transit security plan is recommended by the FTA, but is not required at this time. At the time of this plan update, SETHRA did not currently have a formal transit security plan, but may work towards developing one in the future.

Continuing Efforts in Security Planning Although the MPO will play a supporting role in the efforts to mitigate security risks, it will continue to communicate with appropriate agencies to assist in their transportation system needs with available planning resources. The first objective identified above will be ongoing, and it is anticipated that the ITS plan will be implemented over the next several years.

4 - 38 2035 Regional Transportation Plan | May 2011