by Dwight Turner

Motorists traveling west along Main Street in Ardmore now find it somewhat easier to make it through the traffic light at the intersection with Ardmore Avenue. Work on the new left turn lane is nearly complete and officials of both the City of Ardmore, TN and the Town of Ardmore, AL hope that the completed project will help ease traffic flow at the congested intersection.

The turn lane project has been a long-term affair. It was nearly two years ago that Street Superintendent Terry Barkley first contacted transportation officials on both sides of the state line about the possibility of constructing a turn lane. After much delay, the project got underway in the spring, along with a major repaving project along Alabama Highway 53.

The new turn lane extends along Main Street from Ardmore Avenue to in front of Daly and Son’s Pure Station.

Although the new turn lane is helpful, it makes but a small dent in the ongoing problems with traffic congestion in Ardmore, particularly in the afternoons along Main Street and Ardmore Avenue. The issue of traffic flow was a major topic of discussion at last week’s meeting of the Joint Council of the Town of Ardmore, AL Town Council and the City of Ardmore, TN Board of Mayor and Aldermen.

Officials from both the town and the city expressed concerns about increasing traffic flow problems and discussed possible solutions. City of Ardmore, TN Mayor Bobby Hastings discussed in some detail a plan to close several streets that either enter or exit Main Street, as well as adding time to the traffic light at Ardmore Avenue and Main Street.

“There are five things that contribute to the traffic flow problems,” stated Hastings. “Two of them we can’t do anything about because they are state roads. But we can address the other three. In the afternoon, we have traffic backed up all the way to Subway.”

Hastings went on to say that he feared continued traffic flow problems in Ardmore would create problems for area businesses if motorists chose to avoid Ardmore altogether. After discussing the matter further, Hastings stated that he felt having a public meeting to get input from local residents and business owners would be advisable.

“In order to make the changes I have in mind, we would need to have a public meeting,” said Hastings. “I suspect some folks might be opposed to it.”

Street Superintendent Terry Barkley supplied the joint council with a map, detailing the primary changes along Main Street that had been under discussion. The proposed changes would include having either a dead end or cul-de-sac at First Avenue and Railroad Street East. This plan would stop turn traffic from holding up Main Street and Ardmore Avenue traffic and also eliminate a three-minute red light stop. Other changes involve closing off Railroad Street East, just adjacent to the underpass, and the creation of a dead end or cul-de-sac on Rolin’s Avenue, thus preventing turn traffic from holding up traffic flow on Main Street.

“We have problems along Ardmore Avenue to Main Street in the afternoon,” said Town of Ardmore Mayor Eugene Shannon. “The traffic is usually backed up bumper to bumper all the way to the telephone company. If you want to come out down by the school and go east, it is just about impossible unless someone is kind enough to let you out.”

Members of the joint council discussed the matter further, but reached no firm decision as more information was needed from both the State of Alabama and the State of Tennessee. The council instructed Barkley to contact relevant state officials in both states and report back to the council as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, local motorists have the benefit of the new turn lane and, according to reports of those who travel the intersection frequently, westbound traffic flow is slightly better.

---