CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – Clarksville Mayor Joe Pitts presented the city’s $462 million traffic plan to City Council members at a special session on Tuesday.
Pitts stressed that the plan he presented is only the first version and is nowhere near final. He encouraged council members to research the plan and gather input from constituents.
Pitts also said that the city would collect input via a digital survey.
To view the entire traffic plan, and to share your thoughts, click here.
The plan
The extensive plan presented by Pitts included roads, sidewalks and other infrastructure upgrades for Clarksville drivers and pedestrians.
Pitts divided the projects into three tiers based on level of importance, cost and projected timelines.
Road expansions
The first tier included some already funded projects, including upcoming expansions to Rossview and Whitfield Roads. Included in the Whitfield Road expansion is Clarksville’s first roundabout.
Pitts also proposed an expansion for Tylertown and Oakland Road, which could also include a roundabout.
Tier 1 included a new Spring Creek Parkway Connector to relieve traffic on Wilma Rudolph Boulevard and Interstate 24.
Sidewalks
Sidewalks were a major part of tier 1 projects. Pitts said in his presentation that the city would focus on sidewalk development near schools.
Streets specifically mentioned in the presentation were Tiny Town Road, Jordan Road, Greenwood Avenue, Edmondson Ferry Road and North Senseney Circle.
Pitts added that neighborhood sidewalks, and the sidewalks being built along the North 41A Bypass are separate projects and not part of the traffic plan.
Public Transit
Clarksville’s downtown bus station has been a topic of discussion for some time now.
Included in tier 1 projects is the relocation of the Main Transit Station as well as the addition of new transit hubs.
New transit hubs would allow for significant decreases in commute times by making transits easier.
“I’d love to see (buses) run every 15 minutes,” said Pitts.
Cunningham Bridge
Tier 1 of the transportation plan included a future reconstruction of Cunningham Bridge, which connects the eastern and western portions of Zinc Plant Road.
Pitts said this particular project was a prime candidate for state and federal reimbursement as well as partnership with the Montgomery County government.
Paying for it?
The total cost of the proposed plan is $462 million, approximately four times the annual city budget.
Pitts offered three primary options for covering the cost of his traffic plan.
The first option would be a flat fuel tax increase.
The second was a sales tax increase.
Pitts called both of these options volatile, saying, “One good recession could cause a problem,” in regards to a sales tax increase.
Both a fuel tax increase and a sales tax increase would require a public referendum to pass.
The third option Pitts presented was a property tax increase, projecting yield for both a 1-cent and 10-cent increase per $100 of assessed value.
Clarksville’s current property tax rate is $1.0296 per $100 of assessed value.
Pitts did not recommend a particular option, but encouraged council members to consider the options and listen to the input of constituents.
Correction: An earlier version of this article should have said that Cunningham Bridge connects the east and west segments of Zinc Plant Road. The article has been updated.