A 2015 study funded by the state of Iowa recommended the City of Knoxville make changes to Highway 14/Lincoln St. to make it more efficient.

The project, called a road diet, means that the road will be thinned to one lane travel for each direction, with a middle turning lane and bike lanes on each side. Knoxville City Manager Aaron Adams tells KNIA/KRLS News commuters should see improvement in their travel on the road with it being both more efficient and safer to drive on, especially with its proximity to the Knoxville Middle School. The plan for the road diet is still being put into place, with hopes of implementing the project by 2020. **Information From KNIA/KRLS website**

This will be a problem to Knoxville, IA citizens as well as visitors to our wonderful community.  I have written a letter to our city manager about the issue and I will include the letter and his response below.  

Dear Mr. Adams,

I am writing to you in regards to the plan to change highway 14 and Lincoln Street. I believe making this road 2 lane and then a turning lane in the middle would be a terrible mistake. You are basically making this a 2 lane road and with the traffic that I see on this road on a daily basis, it frightens me the accidents that this may cause. I work for the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum and I see the traffic that goes down this road and it's astonishing how fast some of the semis that pass by our building, and making this a 2 lane road is going to make this oh so dangerous.

Now let's talk about race nights and big events at the 3rd largest sporting facility in the state. Our racetrack is ridiculously congested before and after the races every Saturday nights, and during the 'big' races throughout the year. It is very congested and we have traffic delays like crazy already. Making this a 2-lane road I believe is going to congest it even more. I am VERY concerned about this.

I really wish you would reconsider this decision of changing Lincoln Street. I am very worried about my fellow citizens of Knoxville, as well as my many racing friends that visit our wonderful town from all over the world.

Sincerely, 

Laci White

His response:

Mrs. White,

 

I appreciate you reaching out regarding Highway 14/Lincoln Street. From your message, it sounds like your concerns are primarily related to safety and congestion and I’d like to offer a few thoughts on both. In 2015 the city received a grant called the Traffic Engineering Assistance Program (TEAP) from the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT). This program provides engineering services for towns that do not have their own traffic department/engineer. These services are provided to the city at no charge and come from private professional traffic engineering firms and culminate in a report that also has to be approved by DOT engineers. I apologize in advance for technical nature, but I would like to share a few points directly from the TEAP Report:

 

 Improves pedestrian comfort and safety.

 Reduces pedestrian crossing distance across Lincoln Street.

 One lane in each direction would lend to a pace-car setting through Knoxville.

This phenomenon exists as one vehicle traveling the speed limit leads following

vehicles and prevents them from driving at excessive speeds.

 The shy distance or comfortable distance between the vehicle and curb, for the

outside lane traveling motorists along Lincoln Street would be increased.

 Semi-truck and passenger vehicle traffic would be shifted away from the Lincoln

Street adjacent curb and sidewalk facilities, lending to increased pedestrian

safety and homeowner/business quality of life.

 One lane in each direction would decrease/eliminate the dangerous overtaking

scenarios. Overtaking is when a large vehicle is traveling in the outside lane and

a smaller vehicle is traveling at a higher speed in the inside travel lane. A

pedestrian or stopped vehicle along a side street may not notice the smaller

vehicle, or its higher rate of speed, due to the vehicle being blocked by the

slower moving large vehicle.

 One lane in each direction would offer safety benefits for vehicles making a left

turn from Lincoln Street. Not only would the turning vehicles enjoy the benefit of

a dedicated turn lane by removing them from the through lane(s), the vehicle

would also have fewer Lincoln Street approach lanes to interpret. Also, the

reduction of Lincoln Street approach lanes from two to one lane would eliminate

the potential for higher speed vehicle traveling in the outside travel lane being

blocked by slower moving or multiple vehicles in the inside lane.

 As a result of the benefits listed above, the number of failure to yield caused

crashes and broadside manner of crash as well as rear-end crashes along the

study corridor may be reduced.

 

In short, research from around Iowa and across the country has found that under the circumstances we have with Highway 14/Lincoln Street, reducing from four lanes to three has been proven to improve traffic safety and efficiency. I would specifically refer to the “pace car” effect and its ability to reduce traffic speeds, the increased safety for pedestrians, and finally the various safety benefits of a left turn lane mentioned above.

 

As for the congestion, especially related to the racetrack, I do understand this concern. Again deferring to the engineers, we are told the change to three lanes will have only a minimal effect on clearing traffic after races. In fact we are told that unless the number of lanes available is either dramatically increased or decreased changes to the number of lanes have little impact on the time it takes to clear fan traffic away from the track. While no one enjoys traffic after a major event, I think most spectators come to events prepared for delays (especially when leaving a venue) to be part of the experience. This certainly been my personal experience at every major sporting event, rock concert, etc. that I have ever attended.

 

Once again, I appreciate you reaching out with your concerns and I hope some this information has helped. If following this message you would like to discuss this further I happy to do so and would encourage you to contact me at city hall.

 

Aaron

PLEASE SIGN THIS PETITION TO STOP THE CHANGE OF HIGHWAY 14, THAT GOES THROUGH THE CITY OF KNOXVILLE.  LET'S GET THIS STOPPED FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR COMMUNITY.