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A steering committee will meet this week to discuss obtaining public input as the city of Morristown has commissioned an extensive traffic study of the Highway 160 bypass.

The bypass opened in the late ’90s as a way to redirect traffic from the congested center of town. Over the years, as the bypass has grown in popularity so have some issues. CDM Smith Co. has been hired to conduct the study, which will encompass the length of the road from its connection with West Andrew Johnson Highway in the Alpha Community to the Lowland exit No. 12 on Interstate 81.

Over the years, community members have raised concerns about the safety of several connectors to the Highway, including the connector at Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, at U.S. Highway 25E and at exit 12. There have been a number of serious – sometimes fatal – crashes at each of the intersections.

Morristown Mayor Gary Chesney said the study’s eventual findings and recommendation will “result in local decisions on making traffic management safer.”

Also factoring into the decision will be the new Lincoln Heights Elementary School which will be built on property near the intersection of MLK Boulevard and Highway 160. The school will greatly affect the traffic needs and flow at the intersection.

Morristown Area Chamber of Commerce President Marshall Ramsey said the chamber opposes red lights on the Highway and would encourage other measures to ensure driver safety moving forward.

Ramsey noted many local industries use 160 to get their trucks to the interstate and traffic lights – especially at the MLK intersection – will cause more problems than they solve noting that transfer trucks will have to stop on an uphill grade with full loads.

“If you plan a red light there,” he said, noting that the MLK intersection as currently designed is terrible. “You might as well go ahead and plan to have a fix for the red light.”

Chesney said a steering committee will meet this week to discuss options to gain public input.