Upcoming: Council’s Night Out
The next City Council “Night Out” will be held this coming Tuesday evening, February 12, 6 to 8 pm, at the Oak Ridge Civic Center, in the A/B and Club Rooms.
These “nights out” are intended to be an opportunity for citizens to meet informally (and one-on-one) with City Council members and City staff.
I’m pleased that the staff will bring copies of TDOT’s plans for the upcoming widening of West Oak Ridge Turnpike (formally called “State Route 95/58 Road Project”) so residents can learn more about what’s planned and discuss concerns about the project.
If I remember the details correctly, this project is supposed to add a 5th lane between Illinois and Jefferson Avenues, a grassed median (with cuts for turning access) from Jefferson west to the gatehouse at the west end of the Turnpike, sidewalks for the whole distance from Illinois Ave to the gatehouse, and curbs and gutters (to replace the existing roadside ditches) for the entire project length.
Although this is talked about as a highway project, a major focus of community interest has been on sidewalks and bicycle facilities. Also, there’s been concern about how it will affect properties along the route, especially the maple trees in front of the Rolling Hills apartment complex (a.k.a. Garden Apartments). The last I heard, the maple trees were going to survive, but there has been conflicting information around town about matters such as the fate of the trees and whether or not there will a dedicated bike lane on the shoulder (the answer seems to be that there will be a fairly wide paved shoulder, but not a marked bike lane). I asked staff to use this “night out” as an opportunity for the public to discuss this project, and I hope that people interested in trees, greenways, pedestrian safety, bicycle commuting, drainage ditches, etc., will be there.
As always, though, citizens are encouraged to discuss any topic.
PS - Unfortunately, it seems that this event conflicts with meetings of the Board of Zoning Appeals and the Highland View Advisory Committee. I wish that weren’t the case, as both of those bodies will be dealing with important matters on Tuesday.
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Anyone ever bring their kids to these events?
Comment by Trina — February 11, 2008 @ 1:03 pm
It’s not exactly entertainment for kids, but the whole situation is very informal, so I think it would be a pretty easy event to take kids to.
Basically, Council members, City staff, and other citizens can sit across the table from one another and talk. There’s also a fair bit of people standing around and talking. Depending on their ages and personal preferences, kids could sit at a table with their parents and join the discussion, sit at another table and work on homework, or bring toys and play in the general vicinity of a parent.
I hope you can make it, Trina!
Comment by Ellen Smith — February 11, 2008 @ 7:43 pm
I hope to attend, with the way storms have been hitting us I may have to stay at home and batten the hatches. I lost an older part of the porch roof last time, but didn’t lose power. On second thought, the Civic Center may be a good place to ride tonight’s storms out.
Comment by Ray Kircher — February 12, 2008 @ 8:19 am
Well, Ray, the forecast for this evening indicates rain and moderate winds, but they’re not calling for thunderstorms, and Anderson County is not on the list of wind advisories. What’s left of the homestead probably will probably hold together without your presence.
Comment by Ellen Smith — February 12, 2008 @ 12:39 pm
How many people attended, seemed like 100 vehicles outside at 7 p.m. This is a great event; too bad I couldn’t attend this time. I would like to see this happen quarterly. It should be something everyone does at least once a year. Seems to me Rick Chin would provide standing room to get a percentage from the crowd as customers. Maybe one in or by MMC, great restaurants there also.
Comment by Ray Kircher — February 14, 2008 @ 6:57 pm
Not all of those cars were for the Council night out event, but several dozen people came to the Council night out event. Council members and staff were pleased with the large turnout.
These nights out happen every quarter. This week’s event makes it clear that people are far more likely to come out if they can get information about a topic of interest and concern, and discuss that topic with city officials. What topic would people like to interact about in May?
My personal disappointment was that I didn’t get to spend much time with the plans for the highway project — instead I was talking with people in room A&B, while the plans were next door in the club room. Staff were surprised at the interest in the road plans. Apparently they hear plenty from people who are impatient for the project to finally happen, but they seldom hear from people who have concerns and questions about the design of the project.
On Tuesday I heard plenty about the desire for a bike path that is physically separated from the driving lanes, although bicyclists would also be happy if there were a rumble strip at the edge of the right lane to alert drivers who are drifting into bicycle territory. At the meeting and in the days since I also heard about the need to protect those maple trees (especially their root systems) from physical damage during construction, about disappointment that next phase of construction is not slated to create a left-turn lane at Westover Lane (a place where there is a critical need for protected left turns), and a concern that construction would lead to the loss of trees that reduce residents’ exposure to Turnpike noise on the south side of the Turnpike west of Gum Hollow Road.
On Tuesday, I talked with a steady stream of people, and I also heard about several public issues unrelated to the Turnpike project. I think it was time well spent, particularly if staff is successful in helping to resolve the matters of current concern that people raised.
Comment by Ellen Smith — February 14, 2008 @ 10:23 pm
I would like some info on the Sweetgum Lane section of the Oak Ridge Turnpike and what will happen both with the graveyard and the trees that stop the noise of the Turnpike for our small community? Thank you.
Comment by Kit Hoffman — May 14, 2008 @ 3:13 pm