(WBIR) After another wreck on Chapman Highway on Saturday, both drivers and state representatives are pushing for improvements to the most traveled non-interstate highway.
"It is an accident waiting to happen," Chapman Highway Driving Range owner Keith Cook said. "It's been like that for years."
Cook's driving range is less than a mile away from Saturday's Chapman Highway crash near Simpson Road. He said he's shocked no one has taken action to fix it.
“Within the last month, this is the third wreck within a half a mile of this shop here," he said. “With the accidents happening out here and the fatalities that we’ve had, seems like that would be a priority to put the turn lanes in and it doesn’t seem to happen.”
Years ago, TDOT and other local agencies released plans to widen routes along the highway to add turn lanes, which drivers have expressed the most concern about.
“There’s no turn lanes in the middle of Chapman Highway," Cook said. "It makes it almost deadly to drive it because you got vehicles driving 55 to 60 miles per hour one direction and the same in the other, and they’re almost touching mirrors as they drive.”
“I’d like to see Chapman Highway moved up to the top of the list for TDOT on making the design and highway improvements," Sen. Doug Overbey (R-Maryville) said.
Although Sen. Overbey has been pushing for safer driving conditions along the busy route, a lack of funds has set back progress.
"Our highway transportation fund has suffered due to cars getting a better gas mileage," Sen. Overbey said. "Therefore, the fuel tax has not kept up with the needs of the state, so part of it, unfortunately, is money."
He said the longer the state waits to make improvements, the more damage could be done to incoming revenue.
"When you think of what a great draw Sevier County is for tourism, it's important for us to be able to get our folks into Sevier County, but then to get them out of Sevier County and to do it in a safe manner," he said.
TDOT has a tentative public meeting planned for April 21 to discuss widening and improving routes south of Simpson Road to Hendron Chapel Road.
Tennessee Highway Patrol is still investigating what exactly caused the crash.