CHATTANOOGA TIMES FREE PRESS
JUNE 17, 2005.

RINGGOLD BYPASS ROUTE IN QUESTION.

By Ronnie Moore, Staff Writer

RINGGOLD, GA.- Consulting engimeers for the 2030 Chattanooga area transportation plan said a US Highway 41 bypass around Ringgold is needed, but their tentative idea differs from Mayor Joe Barger's.
Jeffrey Carroll of Day Wilburn Associates Consulting Engineers said their idea is for a two lane bypass, one lane of traffic each way on the interstate side of, and parreller to, US 41 in the downtown area.
Ringgol has sought relief from the downtown traffic snarls for years, but widening US 41/Nashville Street to four lanes through town would wipe out all parking and place the edge of the road close to all businesses.
"A two lane bypass, if feasible, would cross the railroad track to the west of the depot underpass," Mr. Carroll said. "It woul tie back into Highway 41 near the Georgia Highway 151 intersection an be the existing two lanes through Ringgold Gap."
Gateway Bank and Trust Vice President Boyd Steele siad he isn't sure a two-lane bypass would be much help.
"We have huge traffic problems in Ringgold," he said. "A two lane bypass would be like applying a Band-Aid. Highway 41 through owndown can't be widened. There is no good spur into and out from Ringgold High School."
Mr. Boyd said traffic backs up on US 41 in Ringgold from about 7:30 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. and then for about three hours starting at 2:30 p.m.
He said the heaviest traffic congestion in the downtown area is during the school year.
Mr. Barger said he envisions a four lane bypass from near the US 41 and state Highway 151 intersection.
He said it might cross Robin Road and become an elevated bridge from north of Five Points, across the LaFayette Street, through the current Ringgold ballfields to the raid trakcs near the water treatment plant.
Mr. Barger said the road bridge woul cross the rail tracks just before Ringgold Gap and become four lanes through the gap and proceeding to Interstate 75.
He said the elevated bridge would keep the road out of the floodway, but not out of the flood plain. It would need to be elevated six to eight feet above ground in most places.
Mr. Carroll said, "All I do is plan. We determine a need, but questions of how and alignment haven't been determined. A Ringgold bypass is listed as Tier 1, a high priority."
He said the bypass is classified as high priorit, and, if each phase goes smoothly, a bypass could ne completed by 2015.
The consultants have no specific route proposed, but $5.87 million is listed on the 2030 transportation plan as a current cost estimate.
Mr. Carroll said all projects go through preliminary engineering, right of way acquisition and construction.
"Future study on the project may lead to the conclusion too much history would be disturbed or the enivronmental impact is too great," he said.

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This development would destroy the core of the Ringgold Gap Battlefield. The area threatened was part of the line that Lucius Polks Tennesseans were formed in as the battle began. This battle was also the last engagement in the fight for Chattanooga.

Lee