Knox County, Tennessee

The State Route 162 at Hardin Valley Road Interchange was selected for improvement by the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) under the State's Ramp Queue Program. Ardurra (CCI) was retained to provide comprehensive design services for this critical infrastructure enhancement project.

Two signalized intersections on Hardin Valley Road created significant congestion issues along State Route 162, with traffic queuing extending back to the Lovell Road interchange. Additional challenges included inadequate on- and off-ramp acceleration and deceleration lanes, which contributed to 223 accidents over a four-year period, highlighting the urgent need for safety and capacity improvements.

Our design efforts focused on the proposed northbound on-ramp to SR 162 and developing methods to add a lane to westbound Hardin Valley Road beneath the SR 162 overpass. The improvement plans included lengthening acceleration and deceleration lanes to provide safer merging conditions, installing a retaining wall to protect an existing greenway, and widening the roadway under the State Route 162 bridge along the concrete bridge slope. Additionally, the plan involved constructing additional lanes on Hardin Valley Road and both State Route 162 on- and off-ramps.

The project also encompassed the construction of a new northbound on-ramp and the reconstruction of two traffic signals with updated technology. Maintaining adequate traffic control during construction presented unique engineering challenges that required innovative solutions to minimize disruption to this heavily traveled corridor while ensuring public safety throughout the construction process.