l

MAJOR THOROUGHFARE PLAN

l EI izabethton, Tennessee

June , 1987

Prepared for

THE ELIZABETHTON MUNICIPAL PLANNING COMMISSION

David Ornduff, Manuel M. Bandarra, Secretary John Fleming, Mayor Bill Cooper

Chairman Thomas M. Hord, Haynes Elliott Dempsey Shell

Prepared by

City Manager

DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT Local Planning Off ice 207 North Boone Street Johnson City, TN 37601

June 1987

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION 1

PiAJOR THOROUGHFARE IMPROVEMENTS 3

Intersection of 67 and 321 3

Parkway Boulevard and Field Road Intersection 6

Create East-West Collector Route Via Southside Road, Watauga Avenue, Cedar Street, Florence Street, First Street and Arney Street 6

Connect Old Stoney Creek Road to Bristol Highway and Watauga Road · 10

Extend Sycamore Street to Connect with 19-E Bypass 10

UPDATE OF THOROUGHFARE PLAN 15

MARGINAL ACCESS STREET FOR WEST ELK AVENUE 18

SUMMARY 23

LIST OF· ILLUSTRATIONS

1. 1970 MAJOR THOROUGHFARE PLAN

2. 1987 MAJOR THOROUGHFARE PLAN

3. WEST ELK AVENUE MARGINAL ACCESS PLAN

LIST OF FIGURES

1. AERIAL VIEW OF PROPOSED INTERSECTION OF WEST ''G''

16

17

19

STREET AND HIGHWAY 67 4

2. WEST "G" STREET FACING WEST SHOWING ROUTE OF WEST "G" STREET TO INTERSECTION OF HIGHWAY 67 5

3. HIGHWAY 67 FACING EAST TO WEST "G" STREET 5

4. INTERSECTION OF PARKWAY BOULEVARD AND FIELD ROAD FACING NORTH 7

5. SOUTHSIDE ROAD BETWEEN GAP CREEK ROAD AND PARKWAY BOULEVARD 8

6. HILL AT THE INTERSECTION OF SOUTHSIDE ROAD AND SOUTH HILLS HOUSING DEVELOPMENT 8

7. WATAUGA AVENUE FACING SOUTH NEAR ITS INTERSECTION WITH SOUTHSIDE ROAD 9

8. FLORENCE STREET BETWEEN JOHNSON AND CEDAR 9

9. FLORENCE STREET FACING EAST AT THE INTERSECTION OF JOHNSON AVENUE AND FIRST AVENUE 11

10. SAME AS FIGURE 9 EXCEPT FACING WEST FROM FIRST AVENUE 11

11 . . CURVE ON ARNEY STREET

12. THIS ILLUSTRATION SHOWS THE NEED FOR CONSTRUCTION OF A SHORT ROAD FROM INTERSECTION EASTWARD TO OLD

12

STONEY CREEK ROAD 12

LIST OF FIGURES (CONTINUED)

13. 19E/321 BYPASS LOOKING NORTH TO SYCAMORE STREET 14

14. SYCAMORE STREET LOOKING SOUTH TO 19E/321 BYPASS SHOWING PROPOSED ROUTE OF SYCAMORE STREET EXTENSION 14

15. McARTHUR STREET AS IT INTERSECTS WITH RAILROAD STREET AND WEST ELK AVENUE 22

16. INTERSECTION OF HUDSON DRIVE AND WEST ELK AVENUE 22

INTRODUCTION

In 1970, the Tennessee Department of Transportation working in

conjunction with the Elizabethton Planning Commission prepared a

Major Thoroughfare Plan for the city. In the seventeen years since

publication of this plan, there has been many changes in the traffic

patterns within the city. The new State Route 37 (State Line Road)

has long been completed. The portion of the new highway to Johnson

City that is located in Elizabethton is completed and the remainder

of the project is well underway. Work is also rapidly progressing

on the new highway to Bristol. Other significant changes include

the closing of the western end of ''G'' Street and a major shift of

commercial activity from downtown to West Elk Avenue and Broad

Street. In 1970 traffic counts on West Elk Avenue were 14,000 and

26,250 in 1986. Broad Street figures for 1970 were 12,500 and

24,580 in 1986. Traffic volumes on these two streets have nearly

doubled. These figures emphasize the need to update the city's major

thoroughfare plan. Elizabethton streets have been classified

according to the function they perform. The streets were defined

and classified in accordance with the following definition:

Arterial - Facilities which serve the major movement of

traffic within and throughout the city. While the major

function of arterials is to move traffic, a secondary

service is land access.

Collector - Facilities which serve the internal traffic

movement within an area of the city, such as subdivision,

anJ. connecL Lhis area with Lhe arLerial system. They Jo

not handle long through trips and, of necessity, are not

continuous for any length.

Local - Facilities which are designed to be used primarily

for direct access to abutting property. A large percent­

age of street mileage is comprised of local streets, but

these carry a small portion, in relation to their length,

of the vehicle miles traveled .

There are approximately seventy miles of streets in the

existing street system within Elizabethton. Arterials account for

nine miles or nearly 13 percent of the total street mileage . Col­

lectors account for six miles or almost 9 percent of the total

street mileage . Local streets which make up the majority of the

street system, account for the remaining 55 miles or 78 percent

of the total street system, The major thoroughfare plan will deal

with the city's arterial and collector streets and ways to improve

major traffic flows.

This plan is presented in three sections. The first section

is titled Major Thoroughfare Improvements, the second section section

is Update of Thoroughfare Plan, and the third section is Marginal

Access Street for West Elk Avenue.

- 2 -

MAJOR THOROUGHFARE IMPROVEMENTS

There are five proposed improvements to the thoroughfare system

that would improve traffic circulation within Elizabethton. Each of

these six improvements will · be discussed in the following paragraphs.

Intersection of 67 and 321

In 1986 the first section of the new four lane Highway 67 to

Johnson City was completed. This section involved the closing of

West "G" Street, a partial relocation of the Golf Course and the

opening of a new portion of Sabine Street to provide a cross over

from West "G" Street to West Elk Avenue. Since these changes were

made, there has been widespread dissatisfaction with this intersection.

It is difficult to enter and exit Sabine Street at West Elk Avenue

and consequently a significant portion of the traffic that previously

traveled West "G'' Street and Gap Creek Road has been rerouted through

West Elk Avenue and Broad Street which already have excessive amounts

of traffic. A proposed solution to this problem would be to close

the new extension of Sabine and construct a new crossover from West

"G" Street to . the intersection of 67 and 32L This would allow

traffic from West "G" Street and Gap Creek to enter West Elk Avenue

at the traffic light. This proposal would re-open West ''G" Street

as a major east-west arterial street and would encourage use of Gap

Creek Road for southbound traffic.

- 3 -

Figure 1 . Aerial view of proposed intersection of West "G" Street and Highway 67.

- 4 -

Figure 2

Figure 3

This picture is taken from West G Street facing west showing rouLe of West G Street to intersection of Highway 67

This picture is taken from Highway 67 facing east to West G Street

5

Parkway Boulevard and Field Road Intersection

This project would involve removing the stop signs from Parkway

Boulevard at the intersection and placing the stop signs on Field

Road. This would allow Parkway Boulevard to become the through

street and would expedite traffic going north on Parkway Boulevard

to West "G" Street and West Elk Avenue. Parkway Boulevard should be

widened on the northeastern side of this intersection to eliminate

a jog in the street.

Create East-West Collector Route Via Southside Road, Watauga Avenue,

Cedar Street, Florence Street, First Street and Arney Street

At present it is possible to travel from Gap Creek Road through

Southside to the old State Line Road, however, the route is difficult.

The following list of improvements are proposed to improve traffic

flow in this area primarily for the benefit of the people residing in

these areas.

1. The section 0£ Southside Road from Gap Creek Road to

Parkway Boulevard should be widened and some of the

worst curves should be straightened.

2. Two hills at the intersection of Southside Road and

Watauga Avenue should be lowered to improve visability.

3. Florence Street should be widened and made a through

street to First Avenue. This would require removing

- 6 -

Figure 4

~- -------~-----.---..-,.--------~--------~

This picture shows the intersection of Parkway Boulevard and Field Road facing north. The intersection should be changed to make Parkway a through street and the telephone pole at the center of this picture should be setback and the street should be widened to eliminate the street jog on Parkway Boulevard.

- 7 -

Figure 5

Figure 6

Southside Road between Gap Creek Road and Parkway Boulevard needs widened and straightened

This hill at the intersection of Southside Road and South Hills Housing Development needs to be lowered to improve visibility

- 8 -

Figure 7

Figure 8

This picture shows Watauga Avenue intersection with Southside Road. lowered to improve visibility .

facing south near its This hill needs to be

Florence Street between Johnson and Cedar should be widened and should be made a through street.

- 9 -

signs at Second Street and Johnson Avenue (should

Johnson Avenue ever be extended to the proposed

southern bypass, this intersection could be re­

evaluated). There is a street jog located at this

intersection where Florence Avenue and First Street

enter Johnson Avenue at the Herman Robinson Vocational

School. This jog should be eliminated.

4. Straighten road at curve on Arney Street.

Connect Old Stoney Creek Road to Bristol Highway and Watauga Road

Because of the cumberson way old Stoney Creek Road (Lovers Lane

Road) connects to the Bristol Highway, this route is not used as

frequently as it should be. A short road should be constructed from

old Stoney Creek Road directly to the intersection of Watauga Road.

In addition, old Stoney Creek Road should be resurfaced and widened,

and a good intersection should be provided with the new Bristol Highway

and Stoney Creek Road. This project would provide a perfect link

between State Route 91 (new Stoney Creek Road) and the Watauga Road.

Persons conunuting from Stoney Creek to Johnson City via Watauga would

not have to travel Broad Street, thereby easing congestion on Broad

Street.

Extend Sycamore Street to Connect with 19-E Bypass

The 1970 Major Thoroughfare Plan showed this proposed extension

of Sycamore Street to the bypass. This project would provide a

northerly route for the dissipation of traffic within the city.

- 10 -

Figure 9

Figure 10

1 ~

/..._

I I I I

This picture shows Florence Street facing east at the intersection of Johnson Avenue and First Avenue. The street jog should be removed and stop signs be placed on Johnson making Florence a through street.

---

This picture shows the picture above. Avenue facing west

the same intersection discussed in This picture was taken from First

- 11 -

Figure 11

Figure 12

This curve on Arney Street should be straightened to ;, improve traffic flow.

A short road should be constructed from this intersection eastward to Old Stoney Creek Road

- 12 -

This road would encourage more traffic in the downtown area and

slightly relieve congestion at the Broad Street and Elk Avenue

areas.

- 13 -

Figure 13

Figure 14

This picture was taken at 19E/321 Bypass looking north to Sycamore Street

Sycamore Street looking south to 19E/321 Bypass showing proposed route of Sycamore Street extension

- 14 -

UPDATE OF THOROUGHFARE PLAN

Since the Major Thoroughfare Plan was prepared in 1970, there

has been numerous changes in the city's traffic patterns. If the

proposed improvements outlined in the preceding chapter are imple­

mented, this will create additional changes that need to be reflected

in the Major Thoroughfare Plan. Illustration 1 shows the existing

thoroughfare plan, and Illustration 2 shows the amended thoroughfare

plan. Changes a~e summarized in the following list:

1. Watauga Road is changed from a collector street to

arterial,and old Stoney Creek Road designated arterial.

2. Hudson Drive is designated a collector street.

3. Ash Street, Riverside Drive and North Roan Street are

reclassified as local streets.

4. Parkway Boulevard from Carter Boulevard to West Elk

Avenue is designated a collector street.

5. Southside Road, Florence Street, First Avenue and Arney

Street are designated collector streets.

6. The proposed Watauga Avenue Extension to the southern

bypass is re-routed just west of the South Hills Housing

Development.

7. Siam Road is reclassified as a local street. Siam Road

is not shown on these illustrations,

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ELIZABETHTON TENNESSEE

I I

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ILLUSTRATION I

19 70 Major Thoroughfare Plan

' LEGEND

Arterial Streets

11111111111111.1111 Collector Streets

!ICAl.I •• •!ODO'

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II

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~---------

ELIZABETHTON TENNESSEE

I I

f I I

ILLUSTRATION 2

1987 Major Thoroughfare Pl an

L E G E N D

Arterial Streets

.1.1111111111111111111 Collector Streets

!CALL 1 • • IOOO'

1000' 'SOO' 0

II

MARGINAL ACCESS STREET FOR WEST ELK AVENUE

There is only one major east-west route through Elizabethton.

This route is West Elk Avenue and Broad Street. There are numerous

proposals presented in other sections of this plan that would pro­

vide alternate east-west traffic routes and methods to better

distribute the traffic, however, even if all of these proposals are

completed, West Elk Avenue and Broad Street will continue to be

heavily congested as a result of the projected increase in traffic

due to the new highway construction to Johnson City, Bristol and

Valley Forge. It is projected that the Rio Vista area will be re­

developed to corrunercial uses in the near future and a large portion

of the North American and Bemberg Properties are now being re­

developed . It is for these reasons that the planning commission has

proposed a plan for linking the various business and industries along

West Elk Avenue in the vicinity of the old North American and Bemberg

Properties by a marginal access road . A marginal access road simply

defined is a minor street which is parallel and adjacent to arterial

streets and highways and which provides access to abutting properties

and protection from through traffic. Illustration 3 shows the pro­

posed plan for this area.

There would be a total of four traffic lights proposed for this

area of West Elk Avenue. Each of these traffic lights would be

carefully located at the intersections of Williams Avenue, Hudson

Avenue, Bemberg Road and McArthur Street . These traffic lights

- 18 -

ILLUSTRATION 3

WEST ELK AVENUE MARGINAL ACCESS PLAN

NORTH

EX !STING OR PROPOSED STREETS ______ .. FUTURE STREET PATTERNS

0 RED LIGHTS

SCALE I lNCH = 800 FEET

!WAL=l ~

HIGH SCHOOL

wAiAUGA-

r

.,

would allow traffic from the shopping areas on the north side of

West Elk Avenue to either enter West Elk Avenue or cross over to

the residential areas to the south. Other proposed improvements

are listed as follows:

1. Widening of Railroad Street and McArthur Avenue to

allow traffic from the Carter County Plaza Shopping

Center to enter West Elk Avenue at McArthur more

easily.

2. Connect W. Mill Street to Industrial Park Road.

3. Connect Bemberg Shopping Center to Industrial Park

Road.

4. Bemberg Shopping Center is already linked to the new

Wal-Mart property and Bemberg Road. Another Road

should be constructed to connect from Bemberg Road to

the new post office.

5. The North American Plant parking lot entrance should

be relocated to enter Elk Avenue at the Hudson Avenue

intersection.

6. If more of the North American property is redeveloped

a road should be constructed from the new post office

west past the hospital to the old Franklin Club property

where traffic could be channeled through a traffic

light at Williams Avenue.

- 20 -

7. If additional property is redeveloped on the North

American Plant site east and west, roads should be

constructed to link these areas with the Cherokee

Industrial Park Road.

- 21 -

Figure 15

Figure 16

This picture shows McArthur Street as it intersects with Railroad Street and West Elk Avenue. The short section of street between Railroad Street and West Elk Avenue should be widened to three lane and stop signs placed on McArthur and Railroad Street to allow traffic from the Carter County Plaza Shopping Center to flow better through this intersection

This picture shows the intersection of Hudson Drive and West Elk Avenue. The North American parking lot at left should enter West Elk Avenue at this intersection and a traffic light should be located here

- 22 -

SUMMARY

A look at the present traffic patterns within Elizabethton

show that West Elk Avenue and Broad Street are the two most heavily

traveled streets in the city, and development projections indicate

that traffic on these two streets will continue to increase rapidly

unless some action is taken.

This plan has outlined four alternate routes to facilitate the

east-west movement of traffic through Elizabethton, and two north­

south routes. Restated these routes are:

1. Reopening access to West "G" Street - Gap Creek Road .

This project will provide a parallel east-west route to

the south of Elk Avenue .

2. Construct east-west marginal access road to parallel

Elk Avenue to the north and serve the shopping areas

at the Bemberg and North American properties.

3 . Improve old Stoney Creek Road to provide a northern

east-west route from Stoney Creek to Watauga.

4. Improve Southside Road, Watauga Avenue, Cedar Street,

Florence Street, and Arney Street to provide a

southern east-west route for local traffic .

5. Improve Parkway Boulevard to provide a new north-south

collector street.

- 23 -

6. Extension of Sycamore Street to 19-E Bypass to

provide a new north-south collector street.

- 24 -