CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – Planning will soon begin to widen a segment of Rossview Road as the county prepares to add a new school complex to the area.
The County Commission approved up to $3 million for the project, which will affect a 3.6-mile section of Rossview Road from Hayes Lane to International Boulevard. The area will be widened to five lanes, according to county spokesperson Michelle Newell.
The commission approved the funds unanimously, though District 6 Commissioner Arnold Hodges was absent from the meeting.
The cost of the project was initially estimated at $400,000; however, the county decided to approve the whole cost of design at one time in order to save time on future deliberation.
“We felt it was best to go ahead from a timing standpoint to approve 100% of the environmental and the regular design, which is $3 million. The $400,000 would’ve gotten us going until the bonds were issued and then we would have paid that back. This way, if for some reason it had gone over $400,000 before we issue the bonds, we are not having to come back to this body,” said Durrett, addressing the Commission on Monday night.
Included in that price is approximately $1 million for environmental design and $2 million for general design. According to Durrett, the $3 million price tag was figured into the recent wheel tax increase and will paid back to the county through the issuance of bonds.
Durrett added that the $3 million is part of the overall $10 million that was approved for the Kirkwood school project.
Because Rossview Road is a state highway, Durrett reaffirmed to the commission that the State of Tennessee will be responsible for work on Rossview Road once Montgomery County has completed the engineering phase and acquired the right-of-way.