Grigsby Chapel Road ‘eligible’ to add traffic ‘mitigation’

Farragut’s Board of Mayor and Aldermen discovered last week that Grigsby Chapel Road is now eligible for traffic controls at two intersections.

During its regularly-scheduled budget workshop Thursday, April 8, the Board went over traffic studies for intersections at Fretz Road (completed about two weeks ago) and St. John’s Court (completed Monday, April 5), which were provided by Alan Childers of Cannon & Cannon.

Data collected indicates both intersections now officially meet “warrants,” or specific criteria that indicates traffic mitigation options should be considered if not outright implemented.

Traffic mitigation options for both intersections suggested by Childers included traffic signals, roundabouts, four-way stops and existing side-street stops.

Already included in the Town’s 2021-22 budget (currently being discussed through ongoing budget workshops) is CIP funding for a traffic light at Fretz Road.

Alderman Scott Meyer strongly requested the traffic studies be done during a Thursday, March 25, Capital Investment Program 2022 Budget meeting, after reporting his own experiences along Grigsby Chapel seemed to indicate a need for traffic mitigation, coupled with complaints and concerns Grigby Chapel residents previously voiced.

“Thank you (Town engineer) Darryl (Smith) and (Town administrator) David (Smoak) for responding quickly to my meltdown,” Meyer said. “I just hope the folks in the North Ward feel vindicated by the data.”

“I would like to see us put both signals in the budget,” Vice Mayor Louise Povlin said.

A discussion and public hearing on BOMA’s FY 2022 CIP is on the Farragut Municipal Planning Commission agenda Thursday, April 15, during which specific projects likely would be discussed.