In a special session Monday night, the City Council approved an amendment to the city’s capital project budget, giving the okay to $32 million in new debt and $39 million in re-structured debt for development of Mayor Johnny Piper’s proposed marina, water park and other Fairgrounds “development.” The debt package would extend loans through 2027.

In fact, the “done deal” marina has spurred boats sales, or the illusion and suggestion of boat sales, including the collage of watercraft already on display in a Riverside Drive dealer’s lot and another boat display/storage area strategically poised on the concrete slab that once housed the Fairground Pavilion.

Councilors Wallace Redd, Marc Harris and Wayne Harrison opposed the amendment, with Harris lobbying for a 30-day stay on this vote, a move that would have allowed new city councilors a say in a development project that will, in January, fall under their purview. Not all the new councilors support the marina; the current council make-up was a guaranteed win for marina advocates.

What consideration has been given to traffic flow problems on access roads (state highways) to the new development have been elaborated on. Clarksville already has significant traffic flow issues including along Riverside Drive, and water park/marina development will magnify those issues as well for the people who live, work in or travel that area.

As the new council oversees future development of the marina and the Cumberland as a recreational waterway, it is hoped that among their concerns they will consider the overwhelming noise pollution generated by powerboats and jet skis — the latter can equal the output of a racetrack in one’s back yard. The amount of oil and gasoline residue that seeps from vehicles such as jet skis, particularly older models, is a serious pollutant on many waterways; newer models have adapted to stricter EPA standards. In many forward-thinking states these “toys” have been banned on small lakes and rivers because of the noise, noise pollution, and pollution issues, and earth-friendly reclaiming of rivers and streams — or at least, do no further harm — is the most important priority.

Given that the city for years has endured the stench of wastewater treatment permeating the downtown business and residential district, it would behoove the new council to address that that issue in tandem with any new downtown and riverfront development.

If the current administration is hellbent on this form of development, it is incumbent on the next City Council to be proactive in protecting the natural resources that run through Clarksville, and ensuring that within this development, there are ample protections for the water, the shoreline and the abutting homes and businesses (including new residential development). Or hope that the pollution just runs downstream…rendering it NIMB (Not In My Backyard).

There’s good news and there’s bad news about the traffic congestion at Exit 1. After several weeks’ worth of conversations, emails, and phone calls, I think it’s appropriate to update everyone on this rapidly worsening traffic debacle.

The bad news is there’s no money for improvement of Tylertown Road. Both Mike Frost, county highway supervisor, and Jim Durrett, street department head for the City of Clarksville, both said this. More on this issue later.

To make matters even more frustrating, Teresa Gomez, of the state DOT said in an email, “A traffic study was performed in early 2006 at the intersection of 1-24 and SR 48, exit 1 in Montgomery Co.  This study showed that a traffic signal is not warranted at that location.”

Obviously they haven’t been there since then, since new houses have been popping up like zits on a teenager’s face. She also said, “The signal timing at the intersection of Tiny Town and Trenton Road is an issue for the City of Clarksville.  The City Engineer may be contacted at (931)645-7418.”  Friends, start calling.

But back to Tylertown Road. When I spoke with Mike Frost, he suggested that I talk with Jim Durrett since the stretch of Tylertown Road that has the heaviest traffic is within city limits. He did say that on the county’s side of the road, there would be a new access road to the megasite if it were to be selected by a manufacturer.

Teresa Gomez said something similar in her email: A “megasite” for this area has been certified and announced by TVA.  If an industry does select this site and plans a development for this site, then TDOT will work with the industry and local officials to develop the state routes in this area to handle the increased traffic flows generated by the proposed industry.” Clearly, the county and state are both well aware of the problem and the need to provide better access to the megasite.

Now, the good news.

I then sent an email to Jim Durrett, who was out of the office for the holidays. He returned my email very shortly after he went back to work. As I said earlier, he indicated his department was “very much aware of the problem” and that there are simply no funds to improve Tylertown Road.

“The bottom line in this is money, unless we can get some funding from the City Council, there is just limited maintenance we can do.” Money makes the world go ‘round, it seems. But the conversation did not end there. In what was a candid and delightful olive leaf, Durrett said, “We will be starting our 07-08 budget process by the first of March and the new budget will go into effect July1, 2007. We will ask for funding for improvements to Tylertown Rd, however, I cannot promise you that these funds will be approved.”

Durrett’s response was more than encouraging. I think he’s shown true leadership here by addressing the problem directly and then offering a possible solution. I wanted to publicly thank him for his support. He later provided City Council contact information and suggested that I speak with the councilmen for wards 8 and 12 since the Trenton Road situation involves both wards.

So, armed with this new information, I called ward 12 councilman Wayne Harrison. The discussion was brief, but it was a positive note. Since he is on both the finance committee and the street committee, he was very candid about his support for improving Tylertown Road.

He asked if I thought it just needed repaving or to be widened. Of course, the answer was, “both.” I said that at the very least, we need a turn lane added, similar to what we have at Memorial Drive (which desperately needs to be widened as well). Harrison said that he would make sure to put improvements to Tylertown Road into the budget for next year. He also said that we’d talk more about the issue over the next few weeks.

So what can you do? If you live in wards 12 and 8, PLEASE call your councilmen (ward 8 is represented by James Doyle). We need to ask our councilmen to continue putting pressure on the state to put the widening of Trenton Road (from Wilma Rudolph Blvd to the state line) on the fast track. Further, if you’re in ward 12, Wayne Harrison needs to know that you support improving the infrastructure.

I’ve criticized Mr. Harrison in the past, but I think this is an area in which we can all agree. He said something during our conversation that was simply brilliant: “We don’t need to be talking about marinas and conference centers when we don’t have the infrastructure to support what we do have.” I don’t think it’s an exact quote, but it’s darn close. Either way, I agree completely. After all, what good is having a marina or conference center if we can’t get there?

Friends, we desperately need to continue applying pressure on this situation. We’re under a new mayoral adminstration, and we need to encourage the City to improve these roads. We can’t expect it to happen on its own. Based on these conversations, I’m convinced that if we can stand totgether on this issue, then we’ll really see some action.