CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The mayors of Clarksville and Montgomery County laid out updates on Tuesday for several local government initiatives, ranging from a pocket park near Greenwood Avenue to the massive athletic complex coming to Exit 8.
At the Clarksville Area Chamber of Commerce 2023 Mayor’s Power Breakfast event, Montgomery County Mayor Wes Golden and Clarksville Mayor Joe Pitts reflected on the successes of 2022 and what lies ahead in 2023. Here are highlights from their speeches.
Montgomery County
This was the first Power Breakfast for Golden, who took office in August. He said he made a lot of campaign promises over the last two years, and he thanked his supporters for having faith in him. “But faith without works is dead,” he said, “so it’s time to get to work, and that’s exactly what we’ve been doing.”
Infrastructure: “Clarksville-Montgomery County is absolutely the best place to live in America. I know you all believe that because you’re sitting here today, but everyone else obviously believes it too, because they’re moving in quick,” Golden said.
Because of that, local infrastructure is feeling the strain. In response, the county has focused attention on infrastructure projects, including the county Highway Department creating a Pavement Condition Index of the needs of all county roads and bridges, to help prioritize where funding is needed.
Adding to the trend of traffic circles for Montgomery County drivers, a roundabout is planned for Dunlop Lane and Rollow Lane, he said.
Better jobs: Golden discussed the high-paying jobs coming with LG Chem, with 200 of their 850 positions paying more than $100,000. He praised the Clarksville-Montgomery County Industrial Development Board and Economic Development Council for their focus on quality recruiting efforts.
“I love it when they tell me, ‘We’re saying no to people.’ We need to be focused on the high-paying jobs to make sure we’re getting the right folks in here, that we’re growing the way we want to grow.”
Arena parking garage: The parking garage that had initially been planned to open with the F&M Bank Arena in July, and then by the end of the year, is now projected to open in the spring of 2024.
Affordable housing: The county has approved TIF projects to spur development downtown, and the projects have a requirement that 10% of new housing be affordable housing.
Parks and recreation: A pocket park is planned in the Greenwood Avenue area, and the Lone Oak church will be purchased to create a new Lone Oak Community Center.
City of Clarksville
The city has been rolling out and implementing its Transportation 2020+ Plan, Mayor Pitts said, and some of the upcoming projects include:
Spring Creek Parkway: The project will connect Trenton Road to Wilma Rudolph Boulevard.
“By the end of 2025, perhaps by 26, that road will be complete and we’ll be able to relieve some of the traffic on Wilma Rudolph and Trenton Road,” Pitts said. “And now it’s time for the state to step up and do Trenton Road, and we have assurances that they will, so Sen. Powers, take that message back, would you?” he said half-jokingly to state Sen. Bill Powers of Clarksville, who was in attendance at the event. The state has agreed to widen Trenton Road as part of the project.
Exit 1: Lighting and signalization is moving forward, putting streetlights and traffic signals at the Trenton Road intersection with Interstate 24.
Memorial Drive Extension: The widening is being planned and will be shown in a public hearing at the end of the month.
Needmore Road: Widening from Tiny Town Road to Spring Creek will get started sometime in the next year.
Several other city projects are in progress, including these highlights:
North Clarksville Water Treatment Plant: It’s scheduled to open on Barge Point Road in 2025 or 26.
Arena planning: In preparation for the arena opening, the city is undertaking planning to ensure that people can get in and out of downtown safely and easily, “to make sure the arena is successful from the beginning,” Pitts said.
“We’re excited about the renaissance, again, of our downtown,” Pitts said. “Without our historic downtown, we’re just four exits off the interstate. We need to make sure we invest properly in downtown and balance that by keeping our suburbs and our legacy neighborhoods protected as our city continues to grow.”
New parking garage: Plans are moving along for the new 500-plus parking garage downtown next to the Cumberland Plaza parking garage and behind the Roxy Regional Theatre. It will include same-floor access to Franklin Street, and it should be complete by early 2024.
Clarksville Fire Rescue building: A new administrative and training building is planned near the existing facilities, which have been in need of renovation and upgrade for many years. Ground will be broken in March or April.
Athletic complex: The sports field project planned on Rossview Road near Exit 8 is moving along after several delays, related to sinkholes and wetlands in the area. The road into the site is almost finished, and the complex construction will begin in the spring.
MORE: 2022 year in review: Top 10 news stories of the year in Clarksville Now
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January 11, 2023 at 07:08AM
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