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1 East Tennessee South Rural Planning Organization Study Area Description Prepared by: East Tennessee Development District August 2017

East Tennessee South Rural Planning Organization Study ......2017/08/14  · G. Bicycle and pedestrian facilities Appendix 1. ETNRPO Major Environmental Features 2. County Functional

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Page 1: East Tennessee South Rural Planning Organization Study ......2017/08/14  · G. Bicycle and pedestrian facilities Appendix 1. ETNRPO Major Environmental Features 2. County Functional

1

East Tennessee South Rural Planning Organization

Study Area Description

Prepared by:

East Tennessee Development District

August 2017

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Table of Contents

I. Purpose

A. Tennessee’s Rural Planning Organizations

B. Purpose of the ETSRPO Study Area Description

II. General Study Area Description

A. Location

B. Topographic features

C. Land use

D. Major municipalities

E. Recreational facilities and tourism

F. Socioeconomic conditions

III. Population

A. Populations Projections for the ETSRPO

IV. Employment

A. Employment Projections for the ETSRPO

V. Major Traffic Generators

A. Major Traffic Generators in the ETSRPO

VI. Commuting Patterns

A. Commuting Patterns in the ETSRPO

VII. Existing Transportation System

A. Mayor roadway system

B. Freight

C. Railroads

D. Airports

E. Waterways

F. Transit

G. Bicycle and pedestrian facilities

Appendix

1. ETNRPO Major Environmental Features

2. County Functional Classification Maps

3. County Growth Plans

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I. Purpose

A. Tennessee’s Rural Planning Organizations

In November of 2005, the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) established twelve Rural

Planning Organizations (RPOs) across the state. The purpose of the RPOs is to engage local officials in

multimodal transportation planning through a structured process with a goal of ensuring quality,

competence, and fairness in the transportation decision making process. RPOs review long-term

transportation needs as well as short-term funding priorities and make recommendations to TDOT. These

needs, funding priorities, and recommendations are included in TDOT’s statewide long-range

transportation plan development process to ensure both urban and rural perspectives are reflected in the

resultant plan. The RPOs will consider multimodal transportation needs on a local and regional basis, review

long-term needs as well as short-term funding priorities, and make recommendations to TDOT.

The figure below shows the twelve rural planning areas and eleven metropolitan planning areas across the state.

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B. Purpose of the ETRPO Study Area Description

The purpose of the East Tennessee South Rural Planning Organization, ETSRPO, Study Area Description is

to provide land use, population, employment, commuting patterns and other information relevant to

existing and future transportation needs in the region. This information can be used as input into future

transportation planning studies for the region.

II. General Study Area Description

A. Location

The ETSRPO is comprised of seven counties, or portions thereof, located generally south of Knoxville, as

shown on the map below. The counties are Blount, Cocke, Jefferson, Loudon, Monroe, Roane and

Sevier counties. Portions of Blount, Loudon, Roane and Sevier counties are located in the Knoxville

Transportation Planning Organization rather than the ETSRPO. A portion of Jefferson County is located

in the LAKEWAY Metropolitan Transportation Planning Organization.

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B. Topographic Features

Topographically considered, Tennessee presents eight natural divisions. Two of these divisions are located

in the study area.

The Unaka division, includes the extreme eastern portion of the State and stretches from Virginia to the

Georgia line. It includes the greater portion of the counties of Johnson, Carter, Greene, Sevier, Blount,

Monroe and Polk. The face of the country is exceedingly rough. Many of the mountain peaks rise to the

altitude of from five to six thousand feet. The chains of mountain ridges are cut in numerous places by

deep, rocky channels, through which mountain streams flow to the valley below. Nestling among these

giant Unakas are many coves and valleys.

The second division having distinct topographical features is the Valley of East Tennessee. This division

extends across the State from north to south, being limited on the east by the Unakas and on the west by

the Cumberland Mountains. It is called a valley with reference to these mountain ranges, and, with

outlying coves and valleys, embraces in whole or in part the following counties: Hancock, Hawkins,

Grainger, Union, Jefferson, Knox, Roane, Meigs, Bradley, Hamblen, Carter, Johnson, Washington, Greene,

Sevier, Cocke, Blount, Monroe, Polk, Claiborne, Anderson, Rhea, James, Hamilton, Bledsoe, Sequatchie

and Marion.

The Valley of East Tennessee is a succession of narrow ridges and valleys, of greater or less width, trending

from northeast to southwest. The ridges sometimes rise to the altitude of mountains. The valleys are

traversed by numerous streams. One of the study areas most notable features is the Tennessee River.

Other rivers in the study area include Little Tennessee River, Little River, Tellico River, French Broad River,

Clinch River and Emory River.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park covers 522,427 acres, divided almost evenly between the

states of North Carolina and Tennessee. The portion of the park in Tennessee is located within the ETSRPO

in Blount, Cocke and Sevier Counties. Elevations in the park range from approximately 875 feet at the

mouth of Abrams Creek to 6,643 feet at Clingmans Dome in Sevier County. Sixteen mountains peaks in

the park exceed 6,000 feet in elevation.

The topography in the study area generally ranges from rolling to mountainous. The mountainous

terrain causes major roadway construction to be difficult and costly.

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Prepared by:Tennessee Department of Transportation

Long Range Planning DivisionData Visualization Office

²ETSRPO STUDY AREA MAP

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Interstates

Railroads

o

Airports!. City Points

State Routes

Cumberland Trial

Major WaterwaysParksW.M.A LandsMPO/TPO/MTPO

County BoundaryETSRPO Boundary

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C. Land Use

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a significant land use in the ETSRPO area with sections of

the park located in the southern and eastern portions of Blount, Sevier and Cocke counties. The

Cherokee National Forest is located adjacent to the southern portion of the Great Smoky Mountain

National Park in Monroe County and the northern portion of the park in Cocke County. The locations of

the park and national forest are shown on the ETSRPO Study Area Map.

One of the study areas most notable features in the region is the Tennessee River. Other rivers in the

study area include Little Tennessee River, Little River, Tellico River, French Broad River, Clinch River and

Emory River. Numerous marinas, restaurants and commercial establishments are located along these

rivers and lakes in the region. These rivers and lakes are shown on the ETSRPO Study Area Map.

The Great Smoky Mountains, Cherokee National Forest, rivers, lakes and other attractions support a

significant tourism business in the region. Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, Townsend and others are

commercial centers in the region built around the tourism and recreational business.

Other commercial activities are generally centered around the various cities and towns in the seven

counties. Some scattered commercial establishments are located along the major roadways in the rural

areas.

Industrial development has occurred in industrial parks and other locations in the region. Industrial

parks in or near the ETSRPO include the following:

Cocke County

o Newport / Cocke County Industrial Park

Jefferson County

o Jefferson County Industrial Park

Loudon County

o Centre 75 Business Park

o Highlands Business Park

o Huntington Business Park

o Matlock Bend Industrial Park

o Morgantown Peninsula

o Sugarland Industrial Park

Monroe County

o Madisonville Industrial Park

o Niles Ferry Industrial Park

o Sweetwater Industrial Park

o Tellico Industrial Properties

Roane County

o Clinch River Industrial Site

o Heritage Center Industrial Park

o Horizon Center

o Roane Regional Business and

Technology Park

o Roane County Industrial Park

Sevier County

o John L. Marshall Industrial Park

o Smith-Thomas Business Park

A significant portion of the residential populations are in or near the cities and towns in the area. In the

more rural areas, scattered residences are located along the state and local roadway system.

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The population projections indicate that the population of the entire seven county region will increase

by 47,186 by the year 2040. This represents a 45.7% increase. The employment projections indicate

that the employment in the entire seven county region will increase by 30,742 by the year 2040. This

represents a 54.0% increase. These increases in population and employment will increase the

residential, commercial and industrial land uses in the region and the traffic volumes on the region’s

roadways.

Farming operations are located throughout the seven counties in rural areas with suitable slopes and

suitable soils. A significant portion of the ETSRPO is covered in forests, especially in the eastern portion

of the area within the Great Smoky Mountains and Cherokee National Forest.

According to the Federal Highway Administration Report “Planning for Transportation in Rural Areas”,

July 2001, the study area is probably considered “Developed Rural – fundamentally dispersed counties

or regions with one or more population center(s) of 5,000 or more. Economies in these areas tend to be

mixed industrial and service based in the cities and agricultural and natural resource based in the rural

areas. Populations tend to be stable or growing, and transportation more diverse (commuting intercity

travel/freight, and other purposes).”

Public Chapter 1101 required all Tennessee counties and their associated municipalities to develop countywide

growth plans except counties with metropolitan governments. The plans establish Urban Growth Boundaries

(UGB) for municipalities. The plans may also establish Planned Growth Areas (PGAs) and Rural Areas (RAs)

outside those boundaries. The plans are based on 20-year growth projections and show the urban growth

boundaries which contain the corporate limits of a municipality and the adjoining area where growth is

expected during the 20-year period. Much of the anticipated population and employment growth will

likely occur within these urban growth boundaries. The available County Growth Plans are contained in

the Appendix. Additional information can be found at: http://www.tn.gov/tacir/section/growth-plans.

D. Major municipalities

The following lists the municipalities in each of the ETSRPO counties and the 2013 population of each.

The locations of these municipalities are shown on ETSRPO Study Area Map.

Blount County - 127,253

Alcoa – 8556 (not within the ETSRPO)

Friendsville – 845

Louisville – 2434 (not within the ETSRPO)

Maryville – 27,824 (not within the ETSRPO)

Rockford – 873 (not within the ETSRPO)

Townsend - 470

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Cocke County - 35,162

Newport – 6890

Parrottsville – 247

Jefferson County - 53,240

Baneberry – 491

Dandridge – 2834

Jefferson City – 8,342 (not within the ETSRPO)

Morristown – 29,152 (not within the ETSRPO)

New Market – 1214 (not within the ETSRPO)

White Pine – 2405 (not within the ETSRPO)

Loudon County - 51,130

Farragut – 21,111 (not within the ETSRPO)

Greenback – 1032 (not within the ETSRPO)

Lenoir City – 8867 (not within the ETSRPO)

Loudon – 5606 (not within the ETSRPO)

Philadelphia - 901

Monroe County - 44,631

Madisonville – 4703

Sweetwater – 5856

Tellico Plains – 902

Vonore - 1585

Roane County - 52,753

Harriman – 6296

Kingston – 5888

Oak Ridge – 29,301 (not within the ETSRPO)

Oliver Springs – 3063

Rockwood - 5480

Sevier County - 95,946

Gatlinburg – 4059

Pigeon Forge – 6004

Pittman Center – 422

Sevierville – 15,592

The source of the above information was the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community

Development County Profiles.

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E. Recreational facilities and tourism

Tourism and tourism related businesses have a big impact on the economy of the ETSRPO.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park covers 522,427 acres, divided almost evenly between the

states of North Carolina and Tennessee. The portion of the park in Tennessee is located within the

ETSRPO in Blount, Cocke and Sevier Counties. The park has the highest visitation of any park in the

country attracting more than 10.7 million visitors in 2015. Activities in the park include: auto touring,

bicycling, camping, fall colors, fishing, hiking, historic buildings, horseback riding, picnicking, waterfalls,

wildflowers, wildlife viewing and others.

The park provides an economic hub generating over $873 million in visitor spending in 2015 and

supporting 13,709 jobs in surrounding communities. In 2014, tourism in Sevier County, which includes

Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, generated $1.9 billion. In 2013, tourist spent $320 million in Blount

County. The following lists the 2013 tourism spending in the other fiver ETSRPO counties.

Cocke - $41.41 million

Jefferson - $53.75 million

Loudon - $51.73 million

Monroe - $35.18 million

Roane - $62.19 million

Located in the Southern Appalachian Mountains of East Tennessee, the Cherokee National Forest is

divided into northern and southern sections by the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The 650,000

acres forest is the largest tract of land in Tennessee and adjoins other national forest in Virginia, North

Carolina and Georgia. Visitors come to explore the more than 600 miles of trails (including 150 miles of

the Appalachian National Scenic Trail), hundreds of miles of cold water streams, 7 whitewater rivers, 3

large lakes, 11 designated Wilderness areas, 30 campgrounds and the abundant wildlife. Recreational

activities include fishing, camping, hiking, backcountry trails, white water rafting, horseback riding,

scenic driving and others.

Monroe County contains approximately 123,372 acres of the Cherokee National Forest. Cocke County

contains approximately 126,316 acres of the Cherokee National Forest. Approximately 38% of the total

Cherokee National Forest is located in Cocke and Monroe Counties.

Also located in the ETSRPO, the Fort Loudoun State Historic Park is 1,200-acres and is one of the earliest

British fortifications on the western frontier, built in 1756. The fort was near the principal towns of the

Cherokee Nation including Tenase, namesake of our state, and Tuskegee, birthplace of Sequoyah. The

fort was reconstructed during the Great Depression and was designated a National Historic Landmark in

1965. The park is located in Monroe County near Vonore.

Dollywood theme park is located in Pigeon Forge in Sevier County. Dollywood has over 3,000,000

visitors in a typical year. Over 3000 employees work at the theme park.

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Rivers in the study area include Tennessee River, Little Tennessee River, Little River, Tellico River, French

Broad River, Clinch River and Emory River. These rivers, lakes and lakeside properties includes

numerous home rentals, cabins, campgrounds, marinas, restaurants, golf courses and scenic areas.

Numerous marinas in the area offer boat rentals, Jet Ski rentals, floating lake homes, pontoon boats,

fishing boats, as well as accessible boat ramps to bring your own vessel onto these waters. Recreational

activities include fishing, boating, camping, hiking, rafting, and others.

F. Socioeconomic conditions

As previously noted, the ETSRPO study area is a rural area with scattered small municipalities. Generally

these municipalities have a population in the range of 200 to 7,000. Sevierville is the exception with a

population of almost 16,000. Significant portions of the study area are within the Great Smoky

Mountains National Park and Cherokee National Forest.

The socioeconomic conditions of the seven county area are summarized on the following table ETSRPO

Socio Economic Conditions.

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ETSRPO Socio Economic Conditions 

Per Capita Income Unemployment Rate % of Population with % of Population with Key Employment  Top Employers2015 2015 High School Degree or  Bachelor's Degree or  Clusters

higher higher

State of Tennessee $42,069 5.8% 88.3% 26.8%

Blount County $37,085 5.3% 89.9% 23.0% Advanced manufacturing Denso Manufacturing TN Inc.Automotive Blount Memorial Hospital

Cocke County $28,236 7.9% 83.2% 10.1% Advanced manufacturing Cocke County School SystemHealthcare and medical devices Conagra Foods, Inc. 

Jefferson County $30,715 6.5% 85.2% 15.6% Advanced manufacturing Bush Brothers & CompanyTransportation/Distribution/ Logistics Nyrstar Clarksville

Loudon County $40,084 5.7% 86.6% 22.3% Advanced manufacturing Loudon County School DistrictEnergy Technology Monterey Mushrooms, Inc. 

Monroe County $29,449 6.4% 82.4% 11.1% Advanced manufacturing JTEKT AutomotiveAutomotive Monroe Cnty. Dept. of Education

Roane County $35,390 6.6% 87.3% 18.0% Healthcare and medical devices Roane County School DistrictAdvanced manufacturing Roane State Community College

Sevier County $32,350 6.1% 85.2% 15.9% Healthcare and medical devices Dollywood CompanyAdvanced manufacturing Sevier County School System

* Information in this table is for the entire county, RPO portion and non‐RPO portion. 

Source: ECD County Profiles, June 2016

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The table shows that all of the seven counties have a per capita income lower than the statewide

average. In fact, four of the counties have a per capita income at least $9719 less than the State of

Tennessee. In these four counties, the per capita income ranges from 67% to 77% of the statewide

average.

In five of the seven counties, the unemployment rate is higher than the statewide average. In these five

counties, the county unemployment rates range from 0.3% to 2.1% higher than the statewide average.

The highest unemployment rate is in Cocke County with a 7.9% unemployment compared to the

statewide average of 5.8%.

In six of the seven counties, the percentage of the population with a high school degree (or higher) is

lower than the statewide average. The lowest percentage is in Monroe County with a 82.4% of the

population with a high school degree (or higher) compared to the statewide average of 88.3%.

In all seven counties, the percentage of the population with bachelor’s degree or higher is lower than

the statewide average. In four of the counties, the percentage is significantly lower. The percentage of

the population in Cocke County with a bachelor’s degree is 10.1% compared to the statewide average of

26.8%.

The predominant key employment clusters in the area are advanced manufacturing and health and

medical services. In five of the counties, the county school board is one of the top two employers.

Cocke County is classified as a Economically Distressed County in FY 2016 by the Tennessee Department

of Economic and Community Development. The Economically Distressed Counties in Tennessee are the

ten most disadvantaged counties in each of the following categories: three year average unemployment

rate, per capita market income, or poverty rate.

III. Population

A. Populations Projections for the ETSRPO

The table below contains population projections for the seven counties and the entire ETSRPO. Note

that the projections for several of the counties include all of the county, both the ETSRPO area and the

KTPO area or LAKEWAY MTPO area.

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Population Projections for the ETSRPO

YEAR ETSRPO * Blount* Cocke Jefferson* Loudon* Monroe Roane Sevier*

2016 484,941 133,236 36,976 55,714 54,261 47,980 55,630 101,144

2020 508,514 139,725 37,663 58,372 57,923 50,062 56,301 108,468

2025 538,922 147,612 39,322 61,432 62,151 53,117 57,982 117,306

2030 566,217 154,987 40,660 64,078 65,869 55,707 59,209 125,707

2035 596,203 164,461 41,654 66,253 68,918 57,675 59,938 137,304

2040 622,463 172,869 42,351 68,048 71,421 59,170 60,274 148,330

Increase 2016 137,522 39,633 5,375 12,334 17,160 11,190 4,644 47,186

to 2040

% Increase 28.4% 29.7% 14.5% 22.1% 31.7% 23.3% 8.3% 45.7%

* The projections for these counties include all of the county, both the ETSRPO area and

the KTPO area or LAKEWAY MTPO area.

Source: Center for Business and Economic Research, University of Tennessee, Knoxville,

August 2015.

The projections indicate that the population of the entire seven county region will increase by 137,522

by the year 2040. This represents an 28.4% increase. Sevier County shows the highest percentage

growth during this period with an increase of 45.7%. Roane County shows the lowest growth rate of

8.3% during the period.

IV. Employment

A. Employment Projections for the ETSRPO

The table below contains employment projections for the seven counties and the entire ETSRPO. Note

that the projections for Blount, Jefferson, Loudon and Sevier counties include all of the county, both the

ETSRPO area and the KTPO area or LAKEWAY MTPO area.

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Employment Projections for the ETSRPO

YEAR ETSRPO * Blount* Cocke Jefferson* Loudon* Monroe Roane Sevier*

2016 214,347 64,884 12,106 20,296 19,811 18,733 21,613 56,904

2020 228,495 69,385 12,595 21,464 21,216 19,756 22,420 61,659

2025 246,121 74,952 13,144 22,908 22,982 20,922 23,364 67,849

2030 262,718 80,400 13,628 24,323 24,741 21,999 23,364 74,263

2035 279,928 85,722 14,054 25,696 26,483 22,989 24,229 80,755

2040 297,706 91,031 14,440 27,050 28,626 23,917 24,996 87,646

Increase 2016

to 2040 83,359 26,147 2334 6754 8815 5184 3383 30,742

% Increase 38.9% 40.2% 19.2% 34.1% 44.5% 27.7% 15.7% 54.0%

* The projections for these counties include all of the county, both the ETSRPO area and the KTPO area or

LAKEWAY MTPO area.

Source: Woods and Poole

The projections indicate that the employment in the entire seven county region will increase by 83,359

by the year 2040. This represents a 38.9% increase. Sevier County shows the highest percentage growth

during this period with an increase of 54%. Roane County shows the lowest growth rate of 15.7%.

V. Major Traffic Generators

A. Major Traffic Generators in the ETSRPO

Tourism and tourism related businesses have a big impact on the economy of the ETSRPO and on traffic

generation in the seven county region.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park covers 522,427 acres, divided almost evenly between the

states of North Carolina and Tennessee. The portion of the park in Tennessee is located within the

ETSRPO in Blount, Cocke and Sevier Counties. The park has the highest visitation of any park in the

country attracting more than 10.7 million visitors in 2015.

Dollywood theme park is located in Pigeon Forge in Sevier County. Dollywood has over 3,000,000

visitors in a typical year. Over 3000 employees work at the theme park.

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The Cherokee National Forest, 650,000 acres, is the largest tract of land in Tennessee. Visitors come to

explore the more than 600 miles of trails (including 150 miles of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail),

hundreds of miles of cold water streams, 7 whitewater rivers, 3 large lakes, 11 designated Wilderness

areas, 30 campgrounds and the abundant wildlife. Recreational activities include fishing, camping,

hiking, backcountry trails, white water rafting, horseback riding, scenic driving and others. Monroe

County contains approximately 123,372 acres of the Cherokee National Forest. Cocke County contains

approximately 126,316 acres of the Cherokee National Forest. Approximately 38% of the total Cherokee

National Forest is located in Cocke and Monroe Counties.

Rivers in the study area include Tennessee River, Little Tennessee River, Little River, Tellico River, French

Broad River, Clinch River and Emory River. The rivers and lakes in the region are major recreational and

tourism attractions.

Two areas adjacent to the ETSRPO have a major impact on traffic flow within the ETNSRPO. Knoxville /

Knox County is north of the ETSRPO and adjacent to Loudon, Blount, Sevier and Jefferson counties.

Knox County has a population of well over 400,000 making it the third most populous county in

Tennessee. The City of Knoxville is the third most populous city in the state. Knoxville serves as the

main hub in the area for employment, shopping, health care, entertainment and education.

The City of Oak Ridge also serves as a major traffic generator in the area. Oak Ridge is located in

Anderson County adjacent to the ETSRPO. Oak Ridge is the home to the Oak Ridge National Laboratory

and the Y-12 National Security Complex (approximately 11,000 employees).

Other major traffic generators / employers in the region include:

Blount County

Denso Manufacturing TN, Inc., Maryville, 3150 employees

Blount Memorial Hospital, Inc. Maryville, 1850 employees

Clayton Homes, Inc., Maryville, 1500 employees

Alcoa Inc., Alcoa, 1000 employees

Cocke County

Conagra Foods, Inc., Newport, 514 employees

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., Newport, 400 employees

Jefferson County

Bush Brothers & Company, Dandridge, 500 employees

Nyrstar Clarksville Inc., Strawberry Plains, 450 employees

Carson-Newman College, Jefferson City, 320 employees

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Loudon County

Monterey Mushroom, Inc. Loudon, 450 employees

Malibu Boats, Llc. Loudon, 381 employees

Monroe County

JTEKT Automotive Tennessee, Vonore, 900 employees

Sweetwater Hospital Association, Sweetwater, 550 employees

Mastercraft Boat Company, Llc, Vonore, 500 employees

Yamaha Jet Boat Manufacturing, USA, Inc. Vonore, 350 employees

Roane County

Roane State Community College, Harriman, 900 employees

Kimble Chase Life Science and Research Products, LLC, Rockwood, 400 employees

Michael Dunn Center, Kingston, 300 employees

Sevier County

The Dollywood Company, Pigeon Forge, 2500 employees

Westgate Resorts, Sevierville, 500 employees

Leconte Medical Center, Sevierville, 450 employees

TRW Fuji Valve, Pigeon Forge, 300 employees

VI. Commuting Patterns

A. Commuting Patterns in the ETSRPO

The following seven tables summarize the 2014 commuting patterns for the seven ETSRPO counties.

The three columns on the left side of each table show the number of workers commuting to the subject

county. The three columns on the right side show the number of workers commuting out of the county.

The numbers highlighted in orange represents the number of people who live and work within the

subject county. The numbers highlighted in green represents the number of people commuting to Knox

County from the subject county. The numbers highlighted in blue represents the number of people

commuting from Knox County to the subject county.

The tables show a significant connection between each county and Knox County for commuting into the

subject county and commuting out of the subject county.

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BLOUNT COUNTY 2014 COMMUTING PATTERNS

In Commuting Number Percent Out Commuting Number Percent

Blount County, TN* 21,506 48.7% Blount County, TN* 21,506 42.0%

Knox County, TN 9,273 21.0% Knox County, TN 16,533 32.3%

Sevier County, TN 1,543 3.5% Sevier County, TN 1,606 3.1%

Loudon County, TN 1,540 3.5% Anderson County, TN 1,511 3.0%

Monroe County, TN 991 2.2% Davidson County, TN 1,321 2.6%

Anderson County, TN 855 1.9% Loudon County, TN 1,135 2.2%

Roane County, TN 594 1.3% Monroe County, TN 871 1.7%

Hamilton County, TN 548 1.2% Hamilton County, TN 824 1.6%

Jefferson County, TN 464 1.1% Shelby County, TN 614 1.2%

Davidson County, TN 361 0.8% Hamblen County, TN 329 0.6%

All Other Locations 6,507 14.7% All Other Locations 4,897 9.6%

TOTAL 44,182 TOTAL 51,147

COCKE COUNTY 2014 COMMUTING PATTERNS

In Commuting Number Percent Out Commuting Number Percent

Cocke County, TN* 3,874 55.60% Cocke County, TN* 3,874 30.3%

Jefferson County, TN 596 8.50% Sevier County, TN 2,107 16.5%

Hamblen County, TN 384 5.50% Hamblen County, TN 1,326 10.4%

Sevier County, TN 298 4.30% Knox County, TN 1,300 10.2%

Greene County, TN 235 3.40% Jefferson County, TN 896 7.0%

Knox County, TN 210 3.00% Greene County, TN 570 4.5%

Sullivan County, TN 124 1.80% Davidson County, TN 387 3.0%

Carter County, TN 87 1.20% Hamilton County, TN 188 1.5%

Blount County, TN 80 1.10% Blount County, TN 177 1.4%

Grainger County, TN 80 1.10% Shelby County, TN 160 1.3%

All Other Locations 1,004 14.40% All Other Locations 1,805 14.1%

Total 6,972 Total 12,790

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JEFFERSON COUNTY 2014 COMMUTING PATTERNS

In Commuting Number Percent Out Commuting Number Percent

Jefferson County, TN* 4,551 36.30% Knox County, TN 4,578 24.20%

Hamblen County, TN 1,556 12.40% Jefferson County, TN* 4,551 24.10%

Knox County, TN 1,208 9.60% Hamblen County, TN 2,891 15.30%

Cocke County, TN 896 7.10% Sevier County, TN 2,129 11.30%

Sevier County, TN 678 5.40% Cocke County, TN 596 3.20%

Grainger County, TN 584 4.70% Davidson County, TN 521 2.80%

Greene County, TN 231 1.80% Blount County, TN 464 2.50%

Hawkins County, TN 225 1.80% Hamilton County, TN 278 1.50%

Sullivan County, TN 224 1.80% Anderson County, TN 250 1.30%

Anderson County, TN 170 1.40% Shelby County, TN 242 1.30%

All Other Locations 2,224 17.70% All Other Locations 2,385 12.60%

Total 12,547 Total 18,885

LOUDON COUNTY 2014 COMMUTING PATTERNS

In Commuting Number Percent Out Commuting Number Percent

Loudon County, TN* 5,101 37.90% Knox County, TN 5,916 31.40%

Knox County, TN 2,260 16.80% Loudon County, TN* 5,101 27.10%

Monroe County, TN 1,198 8.90% Blount County, TN 1,540 8.20%

Blount County, TN 1,135 8.40% Anderson County, TN 1,288 6.80%

Roane County, TN 908 6.80% Monroe County, TN 991 5.30%

Anderson County, TN 301 2.20% Davidson County, TN 463 2.50%

Bradley County, TN 238 1.80% Roane County, TN 370 2.00%

McMinn County, TN 217 1.60% Hamilton County, TN 357 1.90%

Hamilton County, TN 140 1.00% McMinn County, TN 332 1.80%

Campbell County, TN 116 0.90% Shelby County, TN 243 1.30%

All Other Locations 1,834 13.60% All Other Locations 2,216 11.80%

Total 13,448 Total 18,817

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MONROE COUNTY 2014 COMMUTING PATTERNS

In Commuting Number Percent Out Commuting Number Percent

Monroe County, TN* 6,323 49.60% Monroe County, TN* 6,323 40.80%

McMinn County, TN 1,213 9.50% Knox County, TN 1,854 12.00%

Loudon County, TN 991 7.80% McMinn County, TN 1,481 9.60%

Blount County, TN 871 6.80% Loudon County, TN 1,198 7.70%

Knox County, TN 685 5.40% Blount County, TN 991 6.40%

Roane County, TN 280 2.20% Davidson County, TN 479 3.10%

Bradley County, TN 235 1.80% Hamilton County, TN 352 2.30%

Hamilton County, TN 167 1.30% Anderson County, TN 349 2.30%

Meigs County, TN 137 1.10% Bradley County, TN 285 1.80%

Polk County, TN 116 0.90% Shelby County, TN 224 1.40%

All Other Locations 1,738 13.60% All Other Locations 1,971 12.70%

Total 12,756 Total 15,507

ROANE COUNTY 2014 COMMUTING PATTERNS

In Commuting Number Percent Out Commuting Number Percent

Roane County, TN* 5,072 43.70% Roane County, TN* 5,072 25.90%

Knox County, TN 1,182 10.20% Knox County, TN 4,238 21.60%

Anderson County, TN 734 6.30% Anderson County, TN 4,010 20.50%

Morgan County, TN 710 6.10% Loudon County, TN 908 4.60%

Cumberland County, TN 449 3.90% Blount County, TN 594 3.00%

Loudon County, TN 370 3.20% Davidson County, TN 583 3.00%

Blount County, TN 222 1.90% Hamilton County, TN 412 2.10%

Rhea County, TN 188 1.60% Cumberland County, TN 326 1.70%

Campbell County, TN 167 1.40% Shelby County, TN 282 1.40%

Davidson County, TN 147 1.30% Monroe County, TN 280 1.40%

All Other Locations 2,356 20.30% All Other Locations 2,896 14.80%

Total 11,597 Total 19,601

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SEVIER COUNTY 2014 COMMUTING PATTERNS

In Commuting Number Percent Out Commuting Number Percent

Sevier County, TN* 21,130 56.30% Sevier County, TN* 21,130 54.90%

Knox County, TN 3,841 10.20% Knox County, TN 8,111 21.10%

Jefferson County, TN 2,129 5.70% Blount County, TN 1,543 4.00%

Cocke County, TN 2,107 5.60% Davidson County, TN 869 2.30%

Blount County, TN 1,606 4.30% Hamblen County, TN 797 2.10%

Hamblen County, TN 620 1.70% Jefferson County, TN 678 1.80%

Davidson County, TN 426 1.10% Hamilton County, TN 473 1.20%

Anderson County, TN 370 1.00% Shelby County, TN 409 1.10%

Sullivan County, TN 297 0.80% Anderson County, TN 402 1.00%

Washington County, TN 239 0.60% Washington County, TN 315 0.80%

All Other Locations 4,748 12.70% All Other Locations 3,727 9.70%

Total 37,513 Total 38,454

* Number representing the number of people who live and work within the subject county.

Number representing the number of people commuting to Knox County from subject county.

Number representing the number of people commuting from Knox County to subject county.

VII. Existing Transportation System

A. Major Roadway System

The Tennessee Department of Transportation, TDOT, uses the following classifications in rural areas:

Interstate, Principal Arterial, Minor Arterial, Major Collector and Minor Collector. The TDOT Functional

Classification Map for each county can be found in the Appendix.

Interstates are officially designated as Interstates by the Secretary of Transportation and all routes that

comprise the Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways belong to the

Interstate functional classification category and are also considered Principal Arterials.

The ETSRPO has three interstates located in the seven county region. I-40 is a major east west facility

crossing Roane, Loudon, Sevier, Jefferson and Cocke counties. Interchanges with I-40 are located at SR

299, US 27, SR 29, SR 326, Buttermilk Road, Industrial Park Road, SR 95 / US 321, SR 66 / US 441, Deep

Springs Road, SR 9 / US 70 / US 25W, SR 92, SR 113, US 25W, SR 32 / US 321, SR 73 / US 321, SR 339 /

Foothills Parkway, Big Creek Road and Tobes Creek Road. I-75 crosses Loudon and Monroe counties in a

generally north south direction. Interchanges with I-81 are located at SR 72, SR 322 and SR 68. I -81

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crosses Jefferson County is a generally northeast southwest direction. Interchanges with I-81 are

located at SR 341, SR 32 / US 25E, SR 160 and SR 340.

Principal Arterial roadways serve major centers of metropolitan areas, provide a high degree of mobility

and can also provide mobility through rural areas. Unlike their access-controlled counterparts, abutting

land uses can be served directly. These roadways serve corridor movements having trip length and

travel density characteristics indicative of substantial statewide or interstate travel.

Principal arterials in the area include:

SR 29 / US 27, Roane County

SR 33 / US 411, Blount, Loudon and Monroe counties

SR 58, Roane County

SR 61, Roane County

SR 71, Sevier County

SR 73 / US 321, Blount, Loudon and Sevier counties

Minor Arterials serve trips of moderate length, serve geographic areas that are smaller than their higher

Arterial counterparts and offer connectivity to the higher Arterial system. In rural settings, Minor

Arterials should be identified and spaced at intervals consistent with population density, so that all

developed areas are within a reasonable distance of a higher level Arterial. Additionally, Minor Arterials

in rural areas are typically designed to provide relatively high overall travel speeds, with minimum

interference to through movement.

Minor Arterials in the area include:

SR 1 / US 70, Roane County

SR 2 / US 11, Loudon and Monroe counties

SR 9 / US 25W, Cocke and Jefferson counties

SR 32 / US 25E, Cocke and Jefferson counties

SR 34 / US 11E, Jefferson County

SR 35 / US 321, Blount, Cocke and Sevier counties

SR 39, Monroe County

SR 58, Roane County

SR 68, Monroe County

SR 71 / US 411 / US 441, Sevier County

SR 72, Blount, Loudon, Monroe and Roane counties

SR 73 / US 321, Cocke and Sevier Counties

SR 92, Jefferson County

SR 115 / US 129, Blount and Monroe counties

SR 324, Loudon County

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Collectors serve a critical role in the roadway network by gathering traffic from Local Roads and

funneling them to the Arterial network. In the rural environment, Collectors generally serve primarily

intra-county travel (rather than statewide) and constitute those routes on which (independent of traffic

volume) predominant travel distances are shorter than on Arterial routes. Consequently, more

moderate speeds may be posted.

The distinctions between Major Collectors and Minor Collectors are often subtle. Generally, Major

Collector routes are longer in length; have lower connecting driveway densities; have higher speed

limits; are spaced at greater intervals; have higher annual average traffic volumes; and may have more

travel lanes than their Minor Collector counterparts. Major Collectors offer more mobility and Minor

Collectors offer more access.

Major Collectors in the area include the following.

County

BLOUNT

Road Name

01216

Local Road Name

MORGANTON RD.

Road Name

02404

Local Road Name

WILDWOOD RD.

01246 WILDWOOD RD. 05843 HENRY LN.

01275 BURNETT STATION RD. SR336 BRICK MILL RD.

01295 ELLEJOY RD. SR336 SIX MILE RD.

01295 JEFFERIES HOLLOW RD. SR336 MONTVALE RD.

02402 JEFFRIES HOLLOW RD. SR337 SR-337

COCKE

SR032

SR107

SR160

SR-32

HWY. 107

HWY. 160

SR339

SR340

JONES COVE RD.

SR-340

JEFFERSON

01307

MAIN ST.

SR113

STATE HWY. 113

01430 C.H. RANKIN RD. SR113 MAIN ST.

02512 MILL ST. SR139 OLD DANDRIDGE PK.

02512 WALNUT ST. SR139 STATE HWY. 139

02512 BETH CAR RD. SR139 MAIN ST.

02512 OLD AIRPORT RD. SR341 TALBOTT-KANSAS RD.

02516

SR009

SR009

SR009

SR009

SR066

MAPLE ST.

US-25

ASHEVILLE HWY.

E. MEETING ST.

US-25W

VALLEY HOME RD.

SR341

SR341

SR341

SR341

SR363

N. WHITE PINE RD.

S. WHITE PINE RD.

ROY J. MESSER HWY.

OLD AIRPORT RD.

INDIAN CREEK RD.

LOUDON

01138

SR001

SR095

SR095

STEEKEE RD.

HWY. 70

HWY. 95 S.

MAPLE ST.

SR095

SR322

SR323

MORGANTON RD.

OAKLAND RD.

POND CREEK RD.

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MONROE

SR165

SR165

SR307

STATE HWY. 165

CHEROHALA SKYWAY

EASTANAULA RD.

SR315

SR322

SR360

RELIANCE RD.

OAKLAND RD.

STATE HWY. 360

ROANE

SR001

SR299

SR304

US-70

AIRPORT RD.

RIVER RD.

SR322

SR326

SR327

SWEETWATER RD.

GALLAHER RD.

BLAIR RD.

SEVIER

SR009

SR139

SR338

SR339

ASHEVILLE HWY.

DOUGLAS DAM RD.

DOUGLAS DAM RD.

LONG SPRINGS RD.

SR339

SR339

SR416

SR454

OLD NEWPORT HWY.

JONES COVE RD.

PITTMAN CENTER RD.

BUCKHORN RD.

Minor Collectors are listed in the table below. All of these Minor Collectors are local roads owned and

maintained by local county or municipal highway agencies. Most of these Minor Collectors are on the

State Aid System.

County Road Name Local Road Name Road Name Local Road Name

BLOUNT 01023 FOUR MILE RD. 02402 ELLEJOY RD.

01220 UNITIA RD. 02402 A.R. DAVIS RD.

01246 N. WILDWOOD RD. 02402 OLD CHILHOWEE RD.

01263 MONTVALE RD. 02402 BLAIR LOOP

01263 HAPPY VALLEY RD. 02402 COLD SPRINGS RD.

02393 MINT RD. 02404 ANDY HARRIS RD.

02393 CHOTA RD. 02410 MARTIN MILL PK.

02395 RIVER FORD RD. 04816 OLD NILES FERRY PK.

02402 PROSPECT RD.

County Road Name Local Road Name Road Name Local Road Name

COCKE 00931 TRAIL HOLLOW RD. 02461 HALE RD.

00931 HARTFORD RD. 02461 POINT PLEASANT RD.

01242 BIG CREEK RD. 02486 BOGARD RD.

01242 BULL MOUNTAIN RD. 02509 CARSON SPRINGS RD.

01242 MIDWAY RD. 02511 RANKIN HILL RD.

01242 BLUE MILL RD. 02513 SAWYER HOLLOW RD.

01321 TOBES CREEK RD. 02513 GLENDALE RD.

01321 GREEN CORNER RD. 02513 BRIARTHICKET RD.

01321 GRASSY FORK RD. 02513 KNOB CREEK RD.

01323 ROUND MOUNTAIN RD. 02515 INDIAN CAMP RD.

01325 INDUSTRIAL RD. 02570 OLD STATE HWY. 32

01325 HOLT TOWN RD. 02570 LOWER BOGARD RD.

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01327 AIRPORT RD. 02574 OLD FIFTEENTH RD.

01327 KNOB CREEK RD. 02574 LONG BRANCH RD.

01327 FOWLERS GROVE RD. 02576 HAPPY HOLLOW RD.

01342 OVEN CREEK RD. 02576 LONG CREEK RD.

County Road Name Local Road Name Road Name Local Road Name

JEFFERSON 01292 MCGANA HOLLOW RD. 02457 WITT RD.

01296 E. DUMPLIN VALLEY RD. 02459 MANSFIELD GAP RD.

01296 W. DUMPLIN VALLEY RD. 02492 FLAT CREEK RD.

01296 PIEDMONT RD. 02494 W. DUMPLIN VALLEY RD.

01296 PARK ST. 02496 SANDY RIDGE RD.

01298 W. DUMPLIN VALLEY RD. 02498 GREEN HILL RD.

01298 MCGUIRE RD. 02500 ZIRKLE RD.

01300 MT. HOREB RD. 02502 NINA RD.

01300 FATE RANKIN RD. 02504 ROCKY VALLEY RD.

01307 MAIN ST. 02506 HINCHEY VALLEY RD.

01307 ENKA RD. 02508 BROTHERTON RD.

01308 TALBOTT-KANSAS RD. 02508 SAM MARTIN RD.

01405 DEEP SPRINGS RD. 02510 MINE RD.

01430 SPRING CREEK RD. 02512 BETH CARR RD.

01430 C.H. RANKIN RD. 02512 LEADVALE RD.

02449 DUMPLIN LOOP RD. 02512 OLD AIRPORT RD.

02451 SWANNSYLVANIA RD. 02514 RAINWATER RD.

02453 PINEY RD. 02514 JIM HENRY RD.

02453 WHITAKER RD. 02516 BELL RD.

02453 OLD ANDREW JOHNSON HWY. W. 02516 MAPLE ST.

02453 LOST CREEK RD. 02518 HARDY RD.

02453 NANCES FERRY RD. 02518 WHITE OAK GROVE RD.

02453 INDIAN CAVE RD. 02635 HINCHEY HOLLOW RD.

02453 FIELDEN STORE RD. 02635 FLAT GAP RD.

02455 HAMILTON ST. 02714 ROCKTOWN RD.

02455 BIG BEND RD.

County Road Name Local Road Name Road Name Local Road Name

LOUDON 01214 STOCKTON VALLEY RD. 01269 NATIONAL CAMPGROUND

01214 POND CREEK RD. 02341 RAUSIN RD.

01216 E. COAST TELLICO PKWY. 02345 STEEKEE CREEK RD.

01216 MORGANTON RD. 02347 MEADOW RD. W.

01218 STEEKEE SCHOOL RD. 02347 BIG HILL RD.

01218 DAVIS FERRY RD. 02349 DRY VALLEY RD.

01220 UNITIA RD. 02353 DRY RIDGE RD.

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01245 STOCKTON VALLEY RD. 02354 WATKINS RD.

01251 HINES VALLEY RD. 02354 WATKINS RD.

01251 PINE GROVE-PROVIDENCE RD. 02354 VONORE RD.

01251 SUGAR LIMB RD. 02360 HINES VALLEY RD.

01258 BLUE SPRINGS RD. 02364 BEALS CHAPEL RD.

01259 POPLAR SPRINGS RD. 02364 LAKELAND DR.

01259 POPLAR SPRINGS RD. 05564 FORK CREEK RD.

01259 POPLAR RIDGE RD. 05928 HOTCHKISS VALLEY RD.

01269 E. COAST TELLICO PKWY. 05932 RITCHEY RD.

County Road Name Local Road Name Road Name Local Road Name

MONROE 01138 LOUDON RD. 01237 OAK GROVE RD.

01139 CITICO RD. 01241 HIWASSEE RD.

01139 MT. PLEASANT RD. 02335 POVO RD.

01198 OLD FEDERAL RD. 02335 GRIFFITH BRANCH RD.

01198 OLD TELLICO HWY. S. 02337 SANDS RD.

01200 OLD ATHENS RD. 02340 RIVER RD.

01202 BALLPLAY RD. 02341 RAUSIN HOLLOW RD.

01204 NILES FERRY RD. 02342 RAFTER RD.

01206 OLD HWY. 68 02344 POVO RD.

01216 E. COAST TELLICO PKWY. 02348 KINCAID RD.

01235 MECCA PK. 02348 ACORN GAP RD.

01235 BANK ST. 02348 GLENLOCK RD.

01235 FAIRVIEW RD. 02350 WILLIAM SHORES RD.

County Road Name Local Road Name Road Name Local Road Name

ROANE 01203 BLACK HOLLOW RD. 02363 DOGTOWN RD.

01224 LAWNVILLE RD. 02363 PONDERS GAP RD.

01226 SWAN POND RD. 02363 SALEM VALLEY RD.

01228 SWAN POND CIRCLE RD. 02363 DRY FORK VALLEY RD.

01230 WEBSTER RD. 02363 BLUE SPRINGS RD.

01230 CLAX GAP RD. 02363 PAINT ROCK VALLEY RD.

01230 MAYS VALLEY RD. 02365 DOGWOOD VALLEY RD.

01230 DYLLIS RD. 02365 CAVE CREEK RD.

01230 OLD HARRIMAN HWY. 02366 W. BUTTERMILK RD.

01253 EAGLE FURNACE RD. 02369 SUGAR GROVE VALLEY RD.

01253 WINTON CHAPEL RD. 02371 OLLIS RD.

01253 ABEL VALLEY RD. 02372 HASSLER MILL RD.

01258 BLUE SPRINGS RD. 02374 SUGAR GROVE VALLEY RD.

01303 GORDON HOLLOW RD. 02374 POPLAR CREEK RD.

01425 CANEY CREEK RD. 02374 MAHANEY RD.

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02360 PINE GROVE RD. 02376 DICKEY VALLEY RD.

County Road Name Local Road Name Road Name Local Road Name

SEVIER 01152 COPE LAND RD. 02480 NEW ERA RD.

01284 GLADES RD. 02480 W. NEW ERA RD.

01286 UPPER MIDDLE CREEK RD. 02480 RIVER DIVIDE RD.

01290 ALLENSVILLE RD. 02486 BOGARD RD.

01292 BLOWING CAVE RD. 02488 ROBERT HENDERSON RD.

01292 DERRICK RD. 02490 ZION HILL RD.

01294 GOOSE GAP RD. 02490 GISTS CREEK RD.

02424 KODAK RD. 02492 S. FLAT CREEK RD.

02424 W. DUMPLIN VALLEY RD. 02492 FLAT CREEK RD.

02438 RAYS GAP RD. 02494 E. DUMPLIN VALLEY RD.

02439 WHITES SCHOOL RD. 02712 OLD NEWPORT HWY.

02441 SHILOH CHURCH RD. 04691 HARDIN LN.

02476 WALDENS CREEK RD. 04694 APPLE VALLEY RD.

02478 JAYELL RD.

B. Freight

The following reports were reviewed relative to freight transportation in the ETNRPO counties.

Freight Needs and Project Identification (Draft Report), prepared for the Tennessee Department

of Transportation, prepared by Cambridge Systematics, Inc., dated September 23, 2010.

TDOT’s Tennessee Statewide Multimodal Freight Plan.

Three interstates cross the ETSRPO counties. In 2003, the estimated truck volumes on these interstates

were as follows: I-40 – 7,500 to 10,000 trucks per day, I-75 – 10,000 to 12,500 trucks per day and I-81 –

7,500 to 10,000 trucks per day. In 2030, the truck volumes on these three interstates are projected to

increase to more than 15,000 trucks per day.

These reports recommend the following improvements in the study area to help accommodate the

increasing volumes of freight.

I-40 – Add truck lanes at several location.

I-75, from SR 323 to the I-40/I-75 junction, widen from 4 to 6 lanes.

I-75, from SR 68 SR 322, widen from 4 to 6 lanes.

I-81, from I-40 to SR 341, widen from 4 to 6 lanes.

I-81, from SR 341 to SR 340, widen from 4 to 6 lanes.

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Under the FAST Act, FHWA is establishing a National Highway Freight Network. The Tennessee

Department of Transportation is required to designate Critical Rural Freight Corridors (CRFC) in

Tennessee.

The primary criteria for designation of a roadway as a CRFC is that the roadway must be a rural principal

arterial roadway with a minimum of 25 percent of the annual average daily traffic (AADT) of the road

measured in passenger vehicle equivalent units from trucks. Six other criteria can also be considered in

designation of a CRFC. TDOT is working closely with RPO Coordinators to designate CRFCs in the rural

areas of Tennessee.

C. Railroads

Two major railroads are located in the ERSRPO area. The CSX Railroad crosses portions of Monroe and

Blount counties. The Norfolk Southern Railroad crosses through Roane, Loudon, Monroe, Blount, Cocke

and Jefferson counties.

A short line rail road, Franklin Industries Railroad, connects Crab Orchard in Cumberland County to the

Norfolk Southern Railroad in Roane County. This short line is 15.8 miles long and primarily transports

chemical grade limestone.

The location of these railroads are shown on the ETNRPO Study Area Map.

D. Airports

The nearest commercial service airport is McGhee Tyson located on SR 115/US 129 south of Knoxville.

McGhee Tyson has 79 daily flights. The runway length is 9,005 feet.

Two general aviation airports are located within the ETSRPO:

Monroe County Airport, 350 Airport Rd, Madisonville, TN, Runway Length: 3643 feet.

Gatlinburg-Pigeon Forge Airport, 134 Air Museum Way, Sevierville, TN, Runway Length: 5506

feet.

The location of these airports are shown on the ETSRPO Study Area Map.

E. Waterways

The Tennessee Reservoir Development Agency operates a public river port on mile 603 of the Tennessee

River. This facility has two mooring cells and a Railroad spur for offloading.

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Burkhart Enterprises operates a river port at mile 652 on the Tennessee River. The facility transfers

approximately 500,000 tons of bulk commodities per year. The facility is served by the Norfolk Southern

and Knoxville Holston River Railroad.

F. Transit

The East Tennessee Human Resource Agency, ETHRA, has provided public transit services in the seven

county region since 1983. This agency provides general public service Monday through Friday from 8:00

a.m. to 4:30 a.m. After hours and weekend service is available as needed through contract services.

Transportation is available to all members of the general public. All trips are scheduled through a

centralized regional call center.

ETHRA’s public transportation provides an important role in the region in providing access to

employment opportunities for low income and disadvantaged individuals without automobiles. The

agency also provides transportation services to medical facilities, shopping areas and educational

facilities.

G. Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities

The Tennessee Department of Transportation has identified several proposed state highway bicycle

routes in the region. These include the following:

Nashville to Bristol Bicycle Route: Segments of the following - SR 34 / US 11E, Jefferson County;

SR 33 / US 411, Blount and Monroe Counties

Chattanooga to Mountain City Bicycle Route: Segments of the following - Foothills Parkway,

Blount County; SR 115 / US 129, Blount County; SR 95, Loudon County; SR 73 / US 321, Loudon

County; SR 1 / US 70, Loudon and Roane Counties

Chattanooga Connector: Segments of the following - SR 27 / US 29, Roane County

The location of these bicycle routes can be seen on the map entitled “Proposed State Highway Bicycle

Routes - Region 1” on the TDOT website

http://www.tn.gov/assets/entities/tdot/attachments/bicyclerouteRegion1.pdf.

Regional walking trails in the area include the following:

Appalachian Trail: The Appalachian Trail is a 2,180+ mile long public footpath that traverses the

scenic, wooded, pastoral, wild, and culturally resonant lands of the Appalachian Mountains. In

the ETSRPO regions, the Appalachian Trail is generally located just west of the Tennessee and

North Carolina state border in the following counties: Monroe, Blount, Sevier and Cocke

counties.

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East Lakeshore National Recreation Trail: this scenic trail system skirts the eastern shoreline of

Tellico Lake and features nine interconnected trails that stretch more than 30 miles.

Fort Loudon State Historic Park Trails: The 5 miles of connecting hiking trails weave through the

woodlands, grassy fields, and along the lake's shore near Fort Loudon Fort.

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Appendix

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ETNRPO Major

Environmental Features

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CUMBERLAND TRAIL

FROZEN HEAD

PINEY FALLS

FORT LOUDON

PANTHER CREEK

HOUSE MOUNTAIN

NORRIS DAM

MCGEE CARSON PENINSULA

ROUNDTOP MOUNTAIN

HIWASSEE OCOEE

OZONE FALLS

CAMPBELL BEND BARRENSCROWDER CEMETERY BARRENS MARBLE SPRINGS

SAM HOUSTON SCHOOL

NANCY WARD GRAVESITE

Great Smoky Mountains NP

Obed WSR

Andrew Johnson NHS

§̈¦I 40

§̈¦I 75

§̈¦I 640

§̈¦I 81

§̈¦I 140

§̈¦I 275

§̈¦I 75

§̈¦I 81

§̈¦I 140

§̈¦I 75

Tennessee River

French Broad River

Holston River

Little Tennessee River

Hiwassee River

Tellico Lake

Piney River

Emory River Clinch River

Fort Loudoun Lake

Nolichucky River

Douglas LakeMcGuire Creek

Little River

Melton Hill Lake

Ish Creek

Caney Creek

Gallagher Creek

Sinking Creek

Bullrun Creek

Little Emory River

Ocoee River

Lackey Creek

Flat Creek

Flats Creek

Bearden Creek

South Mouse Creek

Poland Creek

North Mouse Creek

Hines Creek

Beaver Creek

Knob Creek

George CreekHope Creek

Yellow Creek

Trial Branch

Blue Spring Slough

Grable Branch

Lost Creek

Quarry Creek

Dry Land Creek

Creek

MC Kinley Branch

Third Creek

MC Cowan Creek

Tuckahoe Creek

Rodgers Branch Duncan Branch

Berry Branch

Bird Branch

Fall Branch

Laurel Bank Branch

MC Camy Branch

Jackson Branch

Wolf Creek

Riley Creek

Cherokee

Nantahala

PisgahK n o xK n o x

S e v i e rS e v i e r

M o n r o eM o n r o e

B l o u n tB l o u n t

C o c k eC o c k e

R o a n eR o a n e

M c M i n nM c M i n n

M o r g a nM o r g a n

P o l kP o l k

G r e e n eG r e e n eA n d e r s o nA n d e r s o n

L o u d o nL o u d o n

J e f f e r s o nJ e f f e r s o n

M e i g sM e i g sR h e aR h e a

B r a d l e yB r a d l e y

H a m b l e nH a m b l e nU n i o nU n i o n G r a i n g e rG r a i n g e r

C u m b e r l a n dC u m b e r l a n d

S c o t tS c o t t C a m p b e l lC a m p b e l l

ETSRPO MAJOR ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES

Map prepared by:East Tennessee Development District

Geographic Information SystemsAlcoa, TN

Map printed: August 15, 201610 0 105

Miles µ

SRPO boundaryInterstatesTrails

Flood Hazard AreaMajor RiversState Parks

National ParksForest Boundary

Note: Flood layers are generalized based on data from the FederalEmergency Management Agency and are for reference only.

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County Functional

Classification Maps

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County Growth Plans

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