John Coffelt, Editor

Following a number of complaints regarding cut-through traffic on Oak Drive, the Safety Committee paused any action during the Aug. 14 meeting to re-install stop signs on Oak Drive.

Vice Mayor Mark Messick first brought the matter up during the Aug. 11 Safety Committee meeting.

During that meeting, Police Chief Bill Sipe told committee members that if the constant flow of traffic were of concern, a stop sign placed on the road would create gaps in the traffic. He noted too that formerly there was a stop sign located there but it was removed.

Sipe said that the city has installed a digital speed warning sign on the road to alert speeders to slow down.

On Thursday, Director of the Street Department George Gannon confirmed that the device is operational. Gannon cautioned against speedbumps, saying that they are maintenance intensive.

Messick said the number of people complaining about traffic is limited to about two or three homes out of all the people who live on the street.

The Street Department will soon install signs restricting heavy equipment traffic along Oak Drive.

Mayor Joey Hobbs said he has meet with Sipe and City Engineer Adam Carter and formulated a plan to first install the sign and then wait several months to see if that would improve the problem.

“When we were having the discussion,” Hobbs said. “If you were going to put up a stop sign, you’d almost have to put up two. But we don’t think we should do anything yet.”

Hobbs said additional complaints have been received that drivers were using the road as a dragstrip. 

Messick said when the stop sign was there, it received numerous complaints of people doing burnouts throughout the day and night.

Antique shop street parking discussed

The committee also rejected asking TDOT for additional parking for All the Tea in China on Hillsboro Boulevard because it would interfere with the bicycle lane. 

Gannon said he had connected the owners with TDOT who said the city would need to make the request rather than a business.

A motion to add parking on the street failed 2-0 with Alderman James Threet absent.

John has been with the Manchester Times since May 2011. John has won Tennessee Press Association awards for Best News Photo and placed in numerous other categories. John is a 1994 graduate of Tullahoma High School, a graduate of Motlow State Community College and earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Middle Tennessee State University. He lives in Tullahoma, enjoys painting, dancing and exploring the outdoors.