Community Council Discusses Need for Hwy. 41A Crosswalk

 by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer
“We can’t put a crossing on Highway 41A, because it is a state route,” Franklin County Highway Commissioner Joe David McBee told the Sewanee Community Council at the June 27 meeting. Prior to the meeting, community residents were asked to send comments on the crosswalks installed by the Highway Department in July of 2015 on University Avenue and Ball Park Road. Many who responded instead commented on the need for a crosswalk on Highway 41A.
The Sewanee Village Plan proposed by the University would increase pedestrian traffic crossing the state highway.
McBee said the state needed to approve crossings on state routes, and the municipality making the request typically paid for the installation. He estimated the cost at $80,000 to $120,000.
“The time to talk with the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) about a crosswalk is now, during the planning stages,” McBee said.
Council representative Drew Sampson asked if one of the existing crosswalks in Sewanee could be moved to Highway 41A.
“The Highway Department bore the expense of installing the crosswalks,” McBee said. “They could be sold to the state as government surplus. But for 41A a different design would be needed.”
Council representative John Flynn asked if the county would bear the expense for installing a 41A crosswalk since, “Sewanee is not a municipality.”
“Only 4 percent of property tax dollars goes to the Highway Department. My budget could not absorb the cost,” McBee said. “We’ve applied for safety grants on state roads, and they’re hardly ever approved. We wanted a red light at St. Andrew’s-Sewanee School and got a caution light.”
Regarding the University Avenue and Ball Park Road crosswalks, McBee said he would have data on the frequency of use by the council’s August meeting. He intends to meet with the Sewanee Village planner to discuss a design that “would look better than the ones there now.” He also expressed concern about the signage. “The plans call for street-side parking and bike lanes, and the signage there now would not work under those circumstances.”
Council representative Louise Irwin said she’d observed “children playing with the light” at the crosswalks.
“That will skew the use statistics,” council representative Pam Byerly said.
“This is still a work in progress,” stressed Vice-Chancellor John McCardell.
The council will revisit the crosswalk discussion in August and will invite a TDOT representative to address the council about options for a Highway 41A crossing in Sewanee.
Bringing up another issue related to the Sewanee Village Plan and proposed renovation of downtown Sewanee, council representative Theresa Shackelford expressed concern the council was not notified the Franklin County Planning Commission would vote on rezoning areas of Sewanee at its next meeting.
Provost John Swallow said the University had requested some residential rezoning to mixed-use, both commercial and residential, “to get the zoning in line with the plan.”
Residents residing in the area proposed for rezoning had been notified of the meeting. Director of Physical Plant Services Michael Gardner said the planning commission was “required to notify those potentially impacted by rezoning” and not notifying the council was likely an oversight.
Irwin announced that she was chairing the July Fourth parade committee and invited those interested in sponsoring a float to contact her.
The council meets next on Aug. 29. The meeting was rescheduled from Aug. 22 due to a conflict.