| State Route 475 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knoxville Parkway | ||||
| Route information | ||||
| Maintained by TDOT | ||||
| History: | Cancelled | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| South end: | I-40 / I-75 near Lenoir City | |||
| US 25W / SR 9 near Powell | ||||
| North end: | I-75 near Heiskell | |||
| Highway system | ||||
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Tennessee State Routes
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Tennessee State Route 475 was a proposed highway in Knox County and Anderson County, Tennessee. The proposed route would allow through traffic on Interstate 75 to bypass the city of Knoxville. It was going to begin at the Interstate 40/Interstate 75 split through the communities of Solway and Bull Run, then join I-75 again northwest of Heiskell[1].
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SR 475 was proposed as a four-lane divided highway with full access control and a 70 mph (110 km/h) design speed. Upon completion, this route was expected to be added into the National Highway System and will also be designated as a Tennessee Scenic Parkway or State Scenic Highway.[2]. This route is also being studied by TDOT as a potential toll corridor and may be extended to Interstate 40 near mile marker 407[2].
With the idea originally conceived in the mid 1990s, the Knoxville Parkway was dubbed the "orange route" in the press. The route was cancelled on June 25, 2010 due to changing traffic needs and high cost. The "no build" option was selected because projections showed that it would divert less traffic from I-40/75 than previously expected, and the estimated one billion dollar cost was cost prohibitive [3].