The transportation system in the Cookeville Planning Area is examined in the Future Land Use Plan and plans for future improvements are presented. The transportation system forms the framework upon which a community is built, and adequate traffic circulation is a prerequisite to economic activity and general community development. The transportation system was analyzed in terms of:
Classification of thoroughfares
Existing street conditions
Frequency of accidents
Intersection deficiencies
Parking
Pedestrian / non-vehicular circulation
Recent events affecting the system
Traffic capacity and level of service
Traffic circulation patterns
Traffic generators
Traffic impediments
Traffic volumes
Transit
Street Classification
Streets are classified based on their intended use which can range from providing access to residential and other land uses to providing uninterrupted movement of high-speed traffic. Classification of thoroughfares is necessary for several reasons including to establish the widths of right-of-way that need to be dedicated or acquired for widening existing streets and to determine appropriate building setbacks.
Findings
Significant findings in the various analyses include:
Traffic circulation is hindered by insufficient availability of continuous routes through the city
Traffic volume data indicates the increasing importance of Willow Avenue and Highway 111 as north-south routes in the city and of 10th Street and Interstate Drive / Neal Street as east-west routes
Level of service analysis indicate concerns for segments of North Washington Avenue, East Spring Street, North Willow Avenue, and East 10th Street
Accident data indicates that the intersection of Jackson Street and Willow Avenue is by far the most dangerous in the city
16 intersections were identified as having deficiencies
The most significant impediments to traffic flow identified were the lack of available routes, discontinuous routes, and inadequate lanes on existing routes. Another major impediment especially on Jefferson and Willow Avenues is the excessive number of ingress and egress points to serve the land uses on these streets.
Existing street conditions were determined so that priorities for improvements could be developed. The inventory indicates that approximately 45% of the local streets were less than good condition. In 1999, 39% of the streets were found to be in less than good condition. This is an indication that not enough funding is being applied to street repairs and resurfacing.
The city has approximately 63.8 miles of sidewalks compared to approximately 44.4 miles in 1999. This significant increase can be attributed to a concentrated effort by the city to build sidewalks and by changes to the zoning code and subdivision regulations requiring the installation of sidewalks.
Transportation Plan
From these analyses a Future Transportation Plan was developed. A major element of the Transportation Plan is a new Major Street Plan replacing the plan adopted in 1999. The 2030 Major Street Plan identifies 34 street improvement projects which range from widening or realigning existing local streets to the construction of a fifth interchange on Interstate 40. The Major Street Plan is a legal document which has been recorded with the Putnam County Register of Deeds. Developers are required to account for the Major Street Plan in the process of developing their property. Two other important components of the Future Transportation Plan are the Street Improvements Plan and the Pedestrian Circulation Plan.
Street Improvements Plan
The Street Improvements Plan sets priorities for improvements to local streets. In most cases the improvements consist of street resurfacing.