Beginning in 2006, residents of subdivisions along Grigsby Chapel Road asked the Town to address traffic problems including speeding, difficulties entering and leaving their subdivisions during rush hour traffic, high traffic volume, and drivers who used the center turn lane as a passing lane.

The Town hired Cannon and Cannon, a local engineering firm, to perform a Town-wide traffic study in 2006 to better understand the projected flow of traffic over the next 20 - 30 years.  Those results were presented to the public in 2007.  Following that study, an additional study focusing only on Grigsby Chapel Road  was performed to determine the various options to reduce speeding and use, by too many motorists, of the center turn lane as a passing lane.  The options presented to the Board in 2008 included stop signs, traffic lights, and traffic islands.  Due to space limitation, there did not appear to be adequate room to install traffic circles except possibly at Fretz Road.

At two public hearings (see PDF file), Cannon & Cannon recommended strategically placed traffic islands as the option that would be the least disruptive to traffic flow over the installation of traffic lights at St. John Court and either a light or traffic circle at Fretz Road.  The intent is that smaller islands would permit merging while reducing the long stretches of the center turn lane so it couldn't be used for passing.   A secondary purpose was to reduce excessive speeding.  One particular island location has been especially ridiculed by some passing motorists and that is the location between Farragut Commons and the intersection with Campbell Station Road.  Many motorists may not be aware, but this is where the Grigsby Chapel Greenway crosses the roadway.  Certainly, addition of an island at this location adds to the safety of any pedestrians or bicyclists attempting to cross.  At the same time, the island serves as an early warning to motorists (entering Grigsby Chapel from the east) that they are entering a residential area and should expect to drive more slowly.  The same can be said for islands to be constructed on the opposite end of the corridor, at the intersection of Smith Road with Lost Tree Lane and North Fox Den Drive.

As of December 30 2009 the Grigsby Chapel Road Traffic Island Project has been completed minus the spring planting of the Verbena plants.

Please call 966-7057 with any additional questions or concerns.