It seems to me that the tourist interests want more tourists during parts of the year other than summer and fall, when they already have about all they can handle. Why that means they "need" the Pellissippi Parkway Extension is a mystery to me, since it is not the most crowded times for which they want more traffic.

How they can argue with a straight face that preserving open space and farmland is not good for tourism, and thus should be encouraged by use of the hotel-motel tax, is another mystery.

It makes one wonder what the Townsend Planning Commission has in mind doesn't it?

It makes me wonder why every time I hear the term "planning", all I see in my mind is a dog chasing its tail.

For those who are late to the game, the plan was to elect a builder friendly mayor who would turn on the BZA and keep the building codes in such flux there would essentially be none. It's hard to hit a moving target.

That was the plan - and its working.

BTW - Are you sure we can't get those sand filtration units in and reduce the lots sizes just a little bit more (link...)

You are right about part of your post. Sam Houston is a pretty good road now. But Peppermint, Hitch, and Helton need to be made as functional as Sam Houston. If they were, locals could get through the area without the need to bust a 4 lane through there. Tourists do not need help. Local travelers going east to west will not benefit from the north-south PPE.

TDOT's figures show that the PPE will do little or nothing to alleviate traffic and even then only with the SL.

Johnnyo, the opinion that the PPE won't alleviate traffic is from TDOT's own material. We aren't pulling this stuff out of our rear ends. You were there; the lady plainly said the counts showing the slim advantage that they did have were based on the Southern Loop being built also.

And about flying cars: you are right. Things happen in 20 years. Just as over the last 20 years, the majority of development and traffic began to stem from the area south of town, down 411. When the PPE and Southern Loop were dreamed up way back when, this couldn't have been anticipated. So do we roll with a road that doesn't suit current needs, just because it is on the books? No. Just as we don't build roads when we all have flying cars. Currently, what we need is to improve the roads we have in the sector in question, starting with Sevierville Road.

You can't actually argue that the Route A is not destructive. It is by definition destructive. Where is your proof that it is necessary, sans the Southern Loop?

"I think it would be a good idea."
-Mahatma Gandhi, when asked what he thought of Western civilization