APD-40

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APD-40

Veterans Memorial Highway
APD-40 highlighted in red
Route information
Length9.3 mi[1] (15.0 km)
Existed1966–present
Component
highways

US 64 Byp. / US 74 / SR 311 / SR 60
Major junctions
South end I-75 in Cleveland
Major intersections
North end US 11 in Cleveland
Location
CountryUnited States
StateTennessee
CountiesBradley
Highway system
SR 63US 64 Bypass SR 64
SR 59SR 60 US 61
SR 310SR 311 SR 312

APD-40 or APD 40 refers to a road composed of the U.S. Route 64 Bypass (US 64 Byp.) and a section of State Route 60 (SR 60) which forms a partial beltway around the business district of Cleveland, Tennessee. The route takes its name from its part of Corridor K of the Appalachian Development Highway System, and is sometimes called Appalachian Highway or simply the Cleveland Bypass.[2] The route is also designated as Veterans Memorial Highway. The US 64 Byp. section of the road is also multiplexed with unsigned State Route 311 (SR 311) and US 74, and is also known as the US 74 Bypass. The road is a four-lane divided highway its entire length and parts are controlled-access. The bypass is an east-west route and the state route is a north-south.

Route description

APD-40/US 64 Byp. westbound approaching US 11/64 (South Lee Highway).
Aerial view of the cloverleaf interchange with APD-40 (US 64 Byp., SR 60) and US 64 (Inman Street, Waterlevel Highway)

APD-40 begins at the exit 20 interchange on Interstate 75 (I-75) as US 64 Byp. This is also the western terminus of Corridor K. Beginning as controlled-access, it rounds a minor curve to the southeast and enters a long straightaway on the edge of the city limits of Cleveland, and comes to an interchange first with the Cherokee Gateway and then US 11/US 64 (South Lee Highway) approximately 1.5 miles (2.4 km) later. The route then crosses Candies Creek Ridge on a relatively steep grade, and about 2.5 miles (4.0 km) from the interstate, the freeway ends, and the road enters South Cleveland, passing an industrial park with several major factories and manufacturers, such as a Coca Cola factory, and crosses a Norfolk Southern Railway. It then crosses Lead Mine Ridge, junctions at an interchange with Blue Springs Road, a connector to Red Clay State Park in southern Bradley County, and crosses another Norfolk Southern railroad. The road travels for about a mile through a business and residential area before crossing SR 60 (Dalton Pike) and intersecting with McGrady Drive, which is a connector to SR 60. The road then curves sharply to the northeast and becomes a limited access highway, coming to an interchange with SR 74 (Spring Place Road) about 0.25 miles (0.40 km) later. Bypassing Cleveland to the east on the edge of East Cleveland, the route enters a straightaway, and about a mile later, APD-40 again becomes a freeway, interchanging with US 64 in a cloverleaf interchange and becoming SR 60. Here the ADHS corridor splits from the route and continues east on US 64 into North Carolina. The road curves slightly to the northwest and has an interchange with Benton Pike. It then has an interchange with Overhead Bridge Road, crosses a Norfolk Southern line, and finally has an interchange with 20th Street NE, before curving again to the northwest where the freeway ends and the road becomes 25th Street, entering into the metropolis of Cleveland. The road intersects with US 11 (Ocoee Street) about a half mile (0.8 km) later and I-75 about 2 miles (3.2 km) beyond this point, continuing north eventually to Dayton.[1][3][4]

History

Construction and early history

The route that is now APD-40 was originally proposed and built to relieve congestion and divert commercial through traffic away from downtown Cleveland that increased as a result of industrial and residential growth.[5] The first section, located between I-75 and South Lee Highway, was constructed at the same time as the corresponding section of I-75 between Ooltewah and northern Cleveland, and opened at the same time in October 1966.[6]

Extension of the route to US 64, a project that also included widening of US 64 in Bradley County, was authorized in January 1969.[7] The contract for the segment between South Lee Highway and Blythe Avenue, about 14 mile (0.40 km) east of Blue Springs Road, was awarded on January 30, 1970,[8] and construction was completed in November 1971.[9] The contract to construct the segment between Blythe Avenue and US 64 was awarded on November 19, 1971, and the segment was opened to traffic in April 1973 and completed four months later.[10] The final portion, located between US 64 and US 11, was authorized in December 1971.[5] Awarded in two separate contracts, the first construction phase began in April 1973, and the second phase in February 1974.[11] The section was opened to traffic in November 1974,[12] and completed the following month.[11] This section was not in the original plan; the original plan called for the road to end at US 64, but it was later decided to extend it to US 11 (Ocoee Street) and 25th Street NE, and form a complete beltway.[5] SR 60 originally turned south about 14 mile (400 m) past the interchange with I-75 and went directly to downtown, but was moved to 25th Street NW in the mid 1960s after being widened,[13] and the section of APD-40 to US 64 after opening.[14]

The first segment of APD-40 was initially signed as part of State Route 40, which is part of the origin of the name APD-40.[13] It became known as the U.S. Route 64 Bypass and the State Route 40 Bypass after construction began on the extension.[15] The SR 40 Bypass was replaced with SR 311 during the 1983 state highway renumbering. US 74 was added to the route in 1986.[16][17] This route, however, remains largely unsigned.

Traffic hazards

In 1973 a four-way intersection with Varnell Road, located at the bottom of the steep downgrade on the western slope of Candies Creek Ridge was reconstructed with an overpass after many accidents, including one with fatalities, occurred immediately after being opened to traffic.[18] Prior to construction, the then-incumbent superintendent of the Bradley County Road Department had reportedly requested TDOT to make this change to the design, but they had refused.[19] Other portions of the road, including interchanges, have also received criticism as being hazardous and poorly designed.[20]

Recent developments

APD-40 was designated as "Veterans Memorial Highway" by the Tennessee General Assembly in 2007.[21]

In May 2013, the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) began a project to rework the interchange with I-75.[22] The original route narrowed at the interchange, and crossed the interstate on a two-lane bridge.[22] The project was declared complete on December 16, 2015. The old bridge was replaced with a six-lane bridge, and the ramps were rebuilt and widened, with turn lanes added.[23]

Construction began on a new interchange with the newly constructed Cherokee Gateway located about midway between I-75 and South Lee Highway in 2015.[24] The interchange had been proposed since at least 2009, and connects to what is now an industrial park.[25] It was completed in May 2017 and was named in honor of Cleveland's mayor Tom Rowland.[26][27]

In 2016, the parallel bridges across 20th Street, the railroad, and Overhead Bridge Road were designated as the Dustin Ledford Memorial Bridge in honor of a man who was killed by an intoxicated driver near the Overhead Bridge Road exit.[28]

Major intersections

The entire route is in Bradley County. [4]

Location[4]mikmDestinationsNotes
Cleveland0.000.00

US 64 Byp. begins (SR 311 begins) / US 74 west / I-75 – Knoxville, Chattanooga
Interchange; clockwise terminus of APD-40; clockwise end of US 64 Byp./US 74 overlap; I-75 exit 20; road continues west as Pleasant Grove Road
0.60.97Cherokee GatewayInterchange
1.52.4 US 11 / US 64 (S Lee Highway/SR 2) – ClevelandInterchange
3.65.8Blue Springs Road – Red Clay State Historic AreaInterchange
4.97.9 SR 60 (Dalton Pike) – Dalton Ga.At-grade intersection via access road (McGrady Drive)
East Cleveland5.38.5 SR 74 (Spring Place Road) – Chatsworth Ga.Interchange
6.610.6



US 64 Byp. ends (SR 311 ends) / US 74 east / US 64 / SR 60 south (Waterlevel Highway/ SR 40) – Ocoee, Cleveland
Interchange; counterclockwise end of US 64 Byp. overlap; clockwise end of SR 60 overlap
7.311.7Benton PikeInterchange
Cleveland7.812.6Overhead Bridge RoadInterchange
8.012.920th Street NEInterchange
9.315.0
SR 60 north (25th Street NW) / US 11 (Ocoee Street/SR 74) – Dayton, Athens
Counterclockwise terminus of APD-40; counterclockwise end of SR 60 overlap; at-grade intersection; road continues west as SR 60 (25th Street NW)
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Google (July 7, 2014). "APD-40" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved July 7, 2014.
  2. ^ Appalachian Regional Commission (September 30, 2012). "ADHS Approved Corridors and Termini". Appalachian Regional Commission. Archived from the original on March 5, 2012. Retrieved July 7, 2014.
  3. ^ Tennessee Department of Transportation (2013). Official Transportation Map (PDF) (Map). 1 in:10 mi. Nashville: Tennessee Department of Transportation. § E11. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 10, 2013. Retrieved July 7, 2014.
  4. ^ a b Cleveland Chamber of Commerce (2013). City Limits Map (Map). Scale not given. Cleveland, TN: Cleveland/Bradley Chamber of Commerce. Retrieved July 7, 2014.
  5. ^ a b c Tennessee Department of Highways (December 1971). SR-60 Bypass, SR-40 (corridor K) to SR-2, Cleveland: Environmental Impact Statement (Report). Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved 2018-01-05 – via Google Books.
  6. ^ "Interstate System Near Halfway Mark". The Nashville Tennessean. Nashville, Tennessee. Associated Press. October 27, 1966. Retrieved November 28, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Notice to Contractors of State Highway Construction Bids to be Received". The Nashville Tennessean. Nashville, Tennessee. January 16, 1969. Retrieved 2018-04-24 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "State Lets Interstate Contracts". The Nashville Tennessean. Nashville, Tennessee. January 31, 1970. Retrieved 2019-09-14 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Work on Bypass Segment Complete". Cleveland Daily Banner. Cleveland, Tennessee. November 22, 1971.
  10. ^ "Bypass Almost Complete". Cleveland Daily Banner. Cleveland, Tennessee. July 19, 1973.
  11. ^ a b "Road Projects Continued to Dominate Headlines in '74". Cleveland Daily Banner. December 30, 1974.
  12. ^ "Highway 60 Bypass Opening Ceremony". Cleveland Daily Banner. Cleveland, Tennessee. November 19, 1974.
  13. ^ a b South Cleveland, Tennessee (Map). US Geological Survey. 1965. Retrieved November 12, 2017.
  14. ^ East Cleveland, Tennessee (Map). US Geological Survey. 1976. Retrieved November 12, 2017.
  15. ^ U.S. Department of the Interior (1981). Cleveland (Map). 1:100,000. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of the Interior. Retrieved November 26, 2017.
  16. ^ Special Committee on U.S. Route Numbering (June 9, 1986). "Route Numbering Committee Agenda" (Report). Washington, DC: American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. p. 3. Retrieved August 31, 2014 – via Wikisource.
  17. ^ Special Committee on U.S. Route Numbering (November 8, 1986). "Route Numbering Committee Agenda" (PDF) (Report). Washington, DC: American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. p. 4. Retrieved August 31, 2014 – via Wikimedia Commons.
  18. ^ Higgins, Randall (January 13, 1973). "Simpson Apparent Low Bid On Varnell-Appalachian Job". Cleveland Daily Banner. Cleveland, Tennessee.
  19. ^ "Lauderdale: Highway Design a "Death Trap"". Cleveland Daily Banner. Cleveland, Tennessee. December 15, 1968.
  20. ^ Siniard, Tim (November 20, 2019). "APD-40 bypass ramps cause motorist nightmares". Cleveland Daily Banner. Cleveland, Tennessee. Retrieved 2019-12-05.
  21. ^ Davis, David (May 26, 2007). "Veterans Memorial Highway sign is unveiled in time for the holiday". Cleveland Daily Banner. Cleveland, Tennessee.
  22. ^ a b Davis, David (June 14, 2013). "TDOT Awards Exit 20 Project". Cleveland Daily Banner. Archived from the original on December 13, 2013. Retrieved March 15, 2014.
  23. ^ Leach, Paul (December 16, 2015). "Cleveland Leaders Celebrate Exit 20 Makeover". Chattanooga Times Free Press. Retrieved December 23, 2015.
  24. ^ Love, Joyanna (February 15, 2015). "Work on 4 Projects near Exit 20 Continues". Cleveland Daily Banner. Retrieved December 23, 2015.
  25. ^ Long Engineering (June 2009). "Interchange Justification Study for the Tennessee Department of Transportation Project Planning Division: APD-40 Proposed Interchange Between Exit 20 at I-75 and South Lee Highway (SR 2/US 11) Bradley County" (PDF). Tennessee Department of Transportation. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 13, 2010. Retrieved November 16, 2014.
  26. ^ "TDOT Celebrates Completion of APD-40/SR-311 Interchange in Bradley County". May 12, 2017. Archived from the original on May 20, 2017. Retrieved July 7, 2017.
  27. ^ Leach, Paul (October 21, 2014). "Planned Interchange to Be Named for Cleveland Mayor". Chattanooga Times Free Press. Retrieved November 16, 2014.
  28. ^ Mincey, Allen (July 11, 2016). "Dustin Ledford Memorial Bridge dedicated Sunday". Cleveland Daily Banner. Retrieved 2017-10-28.

External links