Letters To The Editor
News Sentinel
2332 News Sentinel Dr.
Knoxville, TN 37921-5761

“You Can’t Get There From Here Anymore”
Well, the so-called “Smart-Fix 40” project of TDOT is “officially” completed. However, you can’t get there from here anymore. As a resident of South Knoxville, I only used the James White Parkway to gain direct access to Broadway near Cecil Avenue; and, I would return to South Knoxville via James White Parkway at the same point. Neither of these routes now exists. Didn’t anyone notice that TDOT ‘conveniently’ ignored this major throughway when redesigning this intersection? Now to access Broadway from the South end via James White Parkway one must exit Hill Street, go to the top of Summit Drive, left on Summit, right on Hall of Fame, to the old North 5th Avenue having gone through 9 traffic lights, and a choice of 2 school zones, and four more roads, fighting downtown traffic—and adding about 10-20 minutes more depending on the time of day. And—the return trip from Broadway is impossible—unless you go 40 W, to 275 N, turn around at one of the exits, head back 275 S to 40 E and exit James White Parkway to South Knoxville ! Where’s the logic in this? Seems like those who live South of the river don’t matter to TDOT anymore. Well, I for one say, if you care so little about us in South Knoxville, then you can FORGET about extending James White Parkway to Chapman at John Sevier—because we won’t be able to get there from here anymore either !!!
P.S. (not to the editor) TDOT will probably add these on/off ramps when they want to extend James White Parkway--they will hold it over South Knoxville like a carrot on a stick--"Want to get to Broadway from here? Well....have we got a new road for you!"