New direction ahead for Depot Street?

Shelbyville City Council, after hearing from merchants in the affected area, may try keeping the segment of Depot Street closest to the square as one-way but making it westbound rather than eastbound.

The issue was discussed at a study session Tuesday night.

The city is finishing a 90-day trial period of making the street one way heading away from the square. The change allowed diagonal parking and helped relieve traffic on a narrow street.

The merchants who spoke Tuesday night agreed in general with the one-way concept and the diagonal parking.

"My business has increased because of that one way," said Alisa Hinds of That Book Store.

But the merchants speaking Tuesday night don't like the street's direction.

Merchants said that blocking incoming Depot Street traffic, from Tullahoma, Wartrace or other areas, sends the wrong message and discourages visitors from coming to the square. Those entering from Depot can turn right onto the State Route 82 Bypass (Jefferson Street) and then left onto Holland Street to get to the square, but that's not necessarily obvious to a visitor.

The current temporary barrier was criticized as an eyesore, although City Manager Ed Craig pointed out that it could be replaced with a more attractive barrier and signage once the city has made a permanent decision.

The reason the city chose eastbound traffic for the street is because of concerns that otherwise, some of those leaving the square would take McGrew Street, and the left turn from McGrew Street onto Jefferson is dangerous because of poor visibility. Merchants said there should be some way to control that, perhaps with the use of a barrier or traffic island which would force people to turn right from McGrew onto Jefferson.

Public Works Director Mark Clanton said reversing the flow of traffic for another test run would cause additional confusion.

"I think it would be another nightmare, I'll be honest with you," said Clanton. He said the city should make a final decision and run with it.

But council members appeared Tuesday night to be leaning toward trying out a westbound route for Depot Street.

Council member Al Stephenson said the city should listen to merchants' concerns.

"We've got to have sales tax to survive," said Stephenson.

Craig said that once the city has made a final decision about the street's traffic, it should be professionally re-paved and re-striped.

Flume work

In other discussion Tuesday night, Clanton reported that excavation of the damaged section of flood control flume underneath North Main Street started on Friday and is running ahead of schedule. The damaged segment will be removed by this Friday, he said. A new segment is ready, but before it can be installed a new sewer line must be installed in the area, which will cause a two-day delay.

Clanton said $71,000 in excess money from the city's street maintenance contract with Tennessee Department of Transportation will be applied to the project, and that TDOT's paving services will save the city an additional $30,000 that would have had to be spent on paving costs.

Industrial prospects

During agency budget requests, Chamber of Commerce CEO Walt Wood told the council that nine industrial prospects are currently looking at Bedford County but said the county has lost out on prospects because it doesn't have a large enough existing building to show them. Wood said a dozen other prospects are looking for buildings of 200,000 to 500,000 square feet. By comparison, the former Summit Polymers location in Airport Industrial Park has 131,000 square feet.

Wood said the former Eaton building has been cleaned up and renovated -- if that had been done a year earlier, Wood said, he might have been able to market the site to a fastidious German company which was looking for space.

Railroad property

Surveyor Rex Northcutt appeared to ask the council to assist Bobby Sanders, who bought a parcel of land from the city in 1995 but who has now discovered that nearly all of it is in the Bedford Railroad Authority's right-of-way, making it unusable.

Stephenson, who also served on the BRA board, said it would be premature for the council to take any action while the matter is still being considered by the railroad authority.

Upcoming items

• The council won't be able to vote this month on a change to its municipal code regarding removal or demolition of property, or on final amendments to the 2008-09 fiscal year budget, because there's not enough time to hold the required public hearings for those items.

• The council will consider the 2009-10 budget and tax rate at its next meeting. A public hearing will be held.

• The council will consider adopting the 2009 version of International Building Codes, except for requirements on sprinkler systems in single-family dwellings. A public hearing will be held.

• The council will consider changing street-cutting requirements. A public hearing will be held.
• The council will consider expanding the Belmont Avenue Historic District. Owners of the affected properties have requested inclusion.
• The council will vote to ratify the state law it requested clarifying the quorum requirements for city government and how they apply to election of power board members.
• The council will vote to renew its employee insurance contract with Blue Cross/Blue Shield. The total premium is increasing by 9.9 percent, according to insurance agent Wendell Agnew, who said that figure is less than the original double-digit proposal. Bids were solicited from other companies as well, but none were competitive and some companies refused to bid at all.
• The council asked that bids be solicited for the annual audit. Council members said this was no reflection on the current audit firm, Winnett Associates PLLC, but came from a state recommendation that bids be taken.