TDOT studying turn lanes

The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) has begun a feasibility study to see if turn lanes can be constructed at Cascade Elementary.

Parents and area residents expressed concern last week to the Times-Gazette about the traffic situation in front of the school, which they say becomes dangerous with vehicles parked on both sides of State Highway 269, also known as Wartrace / Bell Buckle Road.

According to B.J. Doughty, a community relations officer for TDOT, the first that department heard of the issue was two weeks ago, when their traffic engineers spoke with a county commissioner and State Sen. Jim Tracy about the situation.

"We have guidelines that must be followed for these types of issues, so TDOT requested an official letter from the county for us to conduct a feasibility study to determine if turn lanes could be constructed with the existing Right of Way and to locate any utilities that may create a conflict," Doughty said.

Doughty said TDOT received that letter on Wednesday, "so the study will now begin."

School Superintendent Ed Gray stated last week that the school system is working with TDOT on the traffic situation at both Cascade and Community School in Unionville. A traffic study completed in January by Transportation Consultants LLC recommended new right turn lanes into both campuses.

Both facilities are located on state highways and as a result, the school system has to conform to TDOT standards, Gray said.