Status Report of Transportation Projects

The Lakeland Board of Commissioners recently approved an engineering contract to design landscaping and bicycling/pedestrian trails for Canada Road from I-40 to Highway 64. We plan to complete the landscaping in the median this winter (which is the best time to plant landscaping).

The City has applied for an “enhancement grant” to fund these improvements. If the grant is approved, the bicycling/pedestrian trails will be completed within the next year. If it is not approved, the City will use the funds budgeted for matching the grant to landscape the median and the bicycling/pedestrian trails will be funded by a variety of means. Parts of the trail will be constructed by development adjacent to Canada Road, grants and local funding until the entire project is completed.

The City of Lakeland has a number of on-going transportation projects significantly affecting Lakeland residents, especially in the Canada Road corridor. A comprehensive plan is in progress, which will impact all persons using Canada Road.

Major transportation projects are:

I-40 Interchange:

The Tennessee Department of Transportation has approved the design on the I-40 Interchange improvement. A “diamond” design was approved and the Lakeland Board of Commissioners have agreed to provide the extra funds for a “Single Point Urban Interchange”. (An example of a Single Point Urban Interchange is Walnut Grove and Germantown Road. To get the full impact of the Single Point, go east on Walnut Grove and then south on Germantown Road. The “single point” on I-40 and Canada Road will be on the top rather than on the bottom.)

STATUS: Plans being developed. Necessary easements and right-of-way to be acquired around July 1, 2008.

“New Canada Road” from I-40 to Highway 70

This project will create “New Canada Road”. The existing Canada Road will remain, but through traffic will use New Canada Road.

The City is approved for an 80% grant to engineer and build New Canada Road (estimated cost is $10,000,000). The Engineering is starting in the immediate future as soon as final contracts are approved by TDOT.

STATUS: A “Context Sensitive Solution” (CSS) design approach is planned to obtain input on the design of New Canada Road. The City is awaiting approval from the Tennessee Department of Transportation to start on the CSS. This should start in the near future. The CSS approach is to involve all stakeholders along the route of New Canada Road to have the opportunity to be involved in the design phase of New Canada Road.

Traffic Signals at Highway 70 and Canada Road

The Tennessee Department of Transportation has approved this project. We are awaiting final approval from TDOT for design and construction of this project.

STATUS: We expect this project to proceed relatively quickly as soon as the necessary environmental and other requirements are met. Some easements will be required since this will be a full signal with left hand turn lanes.

Beverle Revira extension to Seed Tick

Traffic signals at Beverle Revira/Davies Plantation and Canada Road

The City of Lakeland has funds budgeted to fund the extension of Beverle Revira to Huff &Puff/Seed Tick, thus eliminating the bottleneck at Huff & Puff and Canada Road.

The City has also been approved for a traffic signal at Beverle Revira/Davies Plantation to provide a much better traffic flow.

This project will significantly improve fire/ambulance response to the Lakeland Elementary School area and improve the current bottleneck at Canada Road and Huff and Puff.

Eventually, Beverle Revira Drive will extend from Canada Road to Chambers Chapel Road.

For those persons who are new to Lakeland, Beverle Revira Drive is named in honor Beverle Revira, the first Mayor of Lakeland.

STATUS: Plans have been completed and funds are budgeted for the extension of Beverle Revira Drive. We are currently awaiting final approval of easements.

Funds for the traffic signals have been approved. If we obtain the easements in the near future, the traffic signals will be installed at approximately the same time as the road extension.

Striping/Turn Lanes on Canada Road north of I-40

The City has been approved for state funding to re-stripe Canada Road from I-40 to Green Spruce. This will include striping to provide for improved flow of traffic and include a center turn lane.

The City also plans on installing a right turn lane from Davis Plantation East to the west (Memphis) entrance ramp to I-40 to expedite the flow of traffic going west on I-40

STATUS: This project has been approved for some time and funds are expected to be released in the near future.

Traffic Signals at I-40 and Canada Road

Funding for temporary traffic signals at I-40 and Canada Road have been approved. These signals will replace the “stop” signs and will substantially improve the flow of traffic until the interchange construction is completed.

STATUS: Funding is approved. Final approval is contingent on some final environmental reviews.

When all of these projects are considered as a comprehensive plan, they are a comprehensive solution to the problems in the Canada Road Corridor. Reflecting the regional nature of this Corridor, the projects will be paid for by a combination of Federal, State, County and local funds.