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Loading Glossary… William Jun 27 2025 at 3:27PM on page 82
Suggested Revision
Lookout Mountain Road (LMR) should be a downhill one-way road for vehicles. The upbound lane should be shared by non-motorized user groups such as bicycles, walkers, runners, parents with strollers, and even wheelchairs (like 19th St.).
Bicycles would descend with cars as they presently do on 19th St. and LMR. All non-motorized users could enjoy a safe journey up and down without fear of being hit, honked at, or struck by empty beer cans. Speed and noise from vehicles would be substantially reduced since there would be few opportunities to race. Vehicles driving the speed limit would determine the speed of descent.
Vehicles wanting to travel up LMR would need a turnaround opportunity somewhere downhill of where it becomes one-way down. It seems that could be easily accomplished at the new Chimney Gulch turnaround.
I understand there is some momentum for the opposite polarity, with vehicles driving on a one-way road uphill. As an avid cyclist, I prefer a downhill one-way that would connect seamlessly to the existing 19th St. bike path.
Several folks living on Lookout Mountain were apprehensive about nighttime closures of LMR since it could potentially affect their escape route in the event of an emergency (i.e., fire). The Sherrif, Fire Department, and Open Space argue convincingly that this narrow mountain road with many very tight hair-pin turns is not a safe escape route since it could so easily close in the event of a jackknife or such, thus stranding countless vehicles in harms’ way; which in turn blocks first responders. I can only image the fuss Lookout Mountain residents would make if LMR was to become a one-way road going up the mountain. If you elect to push a one-way configuration (and I hope you do), you’ll have a greater chance of success if the one-way direction is down for vehicles.
Bicycles would descend with cars as they presently do on 19th St. and LMR. All non-motorized users could enjoy a safe journey up and down without fear of being hit, honked at, or struck by empty beer cans. Speed and noise from vehicles would be substantially reduced since there would be few opportunities to race. Vehicles driving the speed limit would determine the speed of descent.
Vehicles wanting to travel up LMR would need a turnaround opportunity somewhere downhill of where it becomes one-way down. It seems that could be easily accomplished at the new Chimney Gulch turnaround.
I understand there is some momentum for the opposite polarity, with vehicles driving on a one-way road uphill. As an avid cyclist, I prefer a downhill one-way that would connect seamlessly to the existing 19th St. bike path.
Several folks living on Lookout Mountain were apprehensive about nighttime closures of LMR since it could potentially affect their escape route in the event of an emergency (i.e., fire). The Sherrif, Fire Department, and Open Space argue convincingly that this narrow mountain road with many very tight hair-pin turns is not a safe escape route since it could so easily close in the event of a jackknife or such, thus stranding countless vehicles in harms’ way; which in turn blocks first responders. I can only image the fuss Lookout Mountain residents would make if LMR was to become a one-way road going up the mountain. If you elect to push a one-way configuration (and I hope you do), you’ll have a greater chance of success if the one-way direction is down for vehicles.
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