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Major Thoroughfare Plan
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A Major Thoroughfare Plan (MTP) is a long-range plan that shows a vision for the Town’s transportation network. It provides guidance for future growth and is a regulatory plan for public investments and future improvements to roads, sidewalks, and multimodal facilities.
The All Aboard Comprehensive Planning Process, began in Summer 2021, will continue to be updated, along with the Town General Plan and Land Development Ordinance.
The original draft of the MTP was adopted by the Planning Commission on August 27th, 2019. The most recent update to this document was adopted on March 14, 2023 by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen.
Existing Roadway Conditions
Existing traffic volumes on roads in Thompson’s Station vary from just over 1,000 cars per day on Thompson’s Station Road west of I-840 to over 20,000 cars per day on Columbia Pike just north of Thompson’s Station Road. Most of the roads within the study area currently operate at an acceptable LOS (Level of Service) except for portions of Columbia Pike, Thompson’s Station Road East, Interstate 65, and Lewisburg Pike.
Existing Roadway Analysis
Recent crash data from 2018 to 2020 reveals the location of fatal, serious, and minor crashes as well as possible injuries and property damage. Analysis of crash data and intersections resulted in several recommendations to improve safety and operations at key intersections in the roadway network. Specific areas of concern for safety include the Columbia and Lewisburg Pike corridors, Critz Lane, Thompson’s Station Road east and west of Columbia Pike, Carters Creek Pike, and Popes Chapel Road. As a result, all of these corridors include recommended roadway improvements.
Future Roadway Conditions
The Future Conditions section projects how the transportation system will function by the year 2045 if no further improvements are made. Assuming no major improvements are made, LOS is expected to degrade on most of the Town’s major corridors and local roads. Specific roads that are expected to see further congestion issues in the future include: Columbia Pike, portions of Thompson’s Station Road west of Columbia Pike and west of Lewisburg Pike, Lewisburg Pike south of Interstate 840, and Interstate 65 south of Lewisburg Pike.
Proposed Plan
TRANSPORTATION POLICY NO. 1:
Context Sensitive Design
Streets are places, not just conduits for moving vehicles from point A to point B. Streets should respond to the character of the community. They are the “front door” to our community; we should design streets that are both functional and attractive.
RECOMMENDATION:
Use the Land Use Context Map in conjunction with recommended typical sections in the Major Thoroughfare Plan to guide context-sensitive street design in Thompson’s Station
TRANSPORTATION POLICY NO. 2:
Fix it First and Keep it That Way
Existing transportation facilities should not be fixed by building new facilities. All facilities should be kept in a good state of repair to avoid more costly fixes down the road.
RECOMMENDATION:
Develop a pavement and asset management plan to ensure Thompson’s Station transportation facilitates adhere to a regular maintenance schedule.
TRANSPORTATION POLICY NO. 3:
The Transportation and Land Use Connection
Transportation and land use decisions should complement each other. To that end, transportation investments should reflect intentional thought on their impact on land use.
RECOMMENDATION:
Decisions on transportation investment priorities in the Major Thoroughfare Plan should take into consideration the timing and location of future growth as identified in the Future Land Use Map.
TRANSPORTATION POLICY NO. 4:
Access and Mobility
Access management should be used as a tool to preserve roadway capacity and safety and to direct growth to desired locations. Public and private infrastructure investments should address multimodal access to all parts of the Town.
RECOMMENDATION:
Develop guidelines for access management, including driveway spacing and cross-parcel access and implement through the land development ordinance (LDO).
TRANSPORTATION POLICY NO. 6:
Complete and Safe Streets For All
Streets should be planned and designed to provide a safe a comfortable environment for all users. They should not be designed with a “one-size-fits- all” approach , but rather specific to the needs of each situation. Transportation should provide functional, recreational, and health benefits.
RECOMMENDATION:
Design of new streets and improvements to existing streets should prioritize facilities for bicycles and pedestrians consistent with typical sections in the Major Thoroughfare Plan. The Town should emphasize and advocate for these facilities on new streets and street improvements within the Town and UGB that are the responsibility of TDOT, Williamson County, and others.
Decisions on future transportation facilities, including streets and greenways/trails, should take into account benefits to bicycle and pedestrian connectivity.