N. Campbell traffic help on the way? Extra lane to I-40/75
While unanimously adopting its 2022-23 budget, with the final reading at its meeting Thursday, May 26, Farrragut Board of Mayor and Aldermen included in that budget a contract with Southern Contractors Inc. for $513,695 to ease traffic congestion on North Campbell Station Road onto the eastbound ramp of Interstate 40/75.
“While this year’s state budget includes funding for the full reconstruction, development of the project will require several years,” Town engineer Darryl Smith said.
“In the meantime, staff has proposed an interim project that will allow us to add another northbound lane on the south side of the Interstate bridge” on North Campbell Station Road to more quickly move traffic exiting onto eastound 1-40/75, “by widening Campbell Station slightly and narrowing the existing lanes,” he added. “This will allow separation of the northbound and southbound left turns to help mitigate the current congestion issues.”
Smith conceded the bids Town staff received came in higher than expected, as the Town initially projected it to cost $278,000. In addition to Southern Contractors Inc., the Town also received a bid from Whaley Construction, LLC., for $704,655.
He surmised the higher bids were because of the small scale of the project, the work would be done at night, limited working space and increase in the project’s scope.
Overall budget
Since the Board approved the proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2023, which begins July 1 and ends June 30, 2023, on first reading May 12, “we did not have many changes at all,” Town administrator David Smoak said.
“Our General Fund revenues are projected at $13.52 million. We also have General Fund expenditures, which have increased slightly,” he added.
“We found out today that our health insurance from the state of Tennessee is going to be increasing this next year, a little bit more than we anticipated. So we’ve had to add an additional $17,343. The account brings us to a total of $9,604,517 in General Fund expenditures.”
Giving more detail, “From our first reading, we added $250 to the legislative account for educational purposes,” Smoak said.
“That gives us an assigned fund balance, in General Fund, of right around $6 million that we’re putting in this year, $4 million of that to go into our road fund, $1 million each for our ADA fund and Building Maintenance Fund.”
In addition, “We’re going to be transferring out about $6.3 million from the General Fund to various funds,” Smoak said.
In other business, the Board unanimously approved:
• Awarding the bid for street resurfacing to APAC-Atlantic for $986,311. Public Works director Bud McKelvey said this year’s contract includes the resurfacing of Watt Road Outlet Drive and select portions of Saddle Ridge Drive and Farragut Hills Boulevard.
• Authorization for Tennessee Municipal Advisory Service to compile and print a records retention policy to be used as a guide by municipal officials in establishing retention schedules for an orderly, efficient system for all records created by municipal governments in the state.
• A contract with Sourcewell for $52,538 to install lighting at McFee Park’s basketball courts.
