Category: Public Works

Toddler Storytime is Back!

10/18/2018

by Karin Glendenning

Toddler Storytime resumed at the library on October 2 and continues on Tuesdays at 11 a.m. The free sessions, which last for about 45 minutes each week, are open to all young children accompanied by their moms, grandmothers or caregivers.

At Storytime, children hear stories, sing songs and complete simple coloring pages and/ or crafts. The program is appropriate for age 2 and up, but feel free to bring younger siblings.

Storytime is designed to introduce children to the library and to being in a setting with other children where they will learn to sit and listen. It is amazing to see how much they mature from October to May, when Storytime ends for the school year.

The goal of the program is to supplement parents’ read-aloud times and to promote reading-aloud to children, even after they can read themselves. A recent article in Publishers Weekly stated that the best way to help your child experience reading success in school is to read aloud to them.
If you have questions, call the library at (423) 886-7323. We look forward to a fun and exciting eight months.

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Get Mulch for $5 a Load

9/17/2018

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Doing some fall landscaping projects and need mulch to freshen up?

The Town of Signal Mountain's Public Works Department is offering loads of mulch for only $5 on select Saturdays this fall.

Stop by 611 Timberlinks Drive between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. to get loads of mulch of September 22, September 29, October 6 or October 13.

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TDOT to Repair Signal Mountain Boulevard

7/24/2018

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TDOT will begin an 8-week repair to Signal Mountain Boulevard on July 26.

Tennessee Department of Transportation contract crews will begin work later this week to stabilize a section of U.S. 127 (Signal Mountain Boulevard) in Hamilton County near log mile 15.97 (approximately .3 miles below Shoal Creek Road). Beginning on Thursday, July 26, crews from GeoStabilization International LLC will start work to make permanent repairs to an area of the roadway that has shown signs of instability. Barring unforeseen circumstances, the repairs are expected to take approximately eight weeks to complete. During the repairs, the road will be reduced to one lane and traffic will be controlled with a temporary signal.

TDOT regional maintenance crews regularly monitor U.S. 127 on Signal Mountain, and if they find an area of concern, they contact TDOT’s geotechnical engineers to come in and assess it for possible repairs. During a recent routine inspection by TDOT maintenance personnel, they found signs that the location near log mile 15.97 might require more in-depth repairs than those done under regular maintenance. Geotechnical engineers assessed the site and came up with a repair plan, which is what will be implemented with these repairs. The work will be done using crews from GSI under a statewide on-call maintenance contract for soil nailing and slope stabilization.

During the work, loose material will be removed from the area and the slope will be stabilized using soil nailing. Soil nailing is an on-site soil reinforcement technique where soil nails are placed into the natural ground at relatively close spacing to increase the strength of the soil mass. As the bars are being drilled, grout is inserted into the hole to ensure that the soil nail stays put. A steel reinforced concrete wall will be constructed that encompasses the soil nails to form a retaining structure along with means to drain water from the slope behind the wall. The upper portion of the retaining structure will be backfilled with new material and the roadway will be rebuilt.

Message boards will be placed at each end of the work zone notifying the public of the one-lane condition. Those who regularly travel on U.S. 127 should anticipate the extra time that it will take to get through the work zone.

From your desktop or mobile device, get the latest construction activity and live streaming SmartWay traffic cameras at www.TNSmartWay.com/Traffic. Travelers can also dial 511 from any land-line or cellular phone for travel information, or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/TN511 for statewide travel or Chattanooga area alerts @Chattanooga511.

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Town to Build New Playground

6/21/2018

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by Gail Perry
At its June meeting, the Signal Mountain Town Council authorized City Manager Boyd Veal to purchase new playground equipment in the amount not to exceed $35,000 for the new playground that will be built on Timberlinks Drive. Veal said this playground is a budgeted expense and will replace one that was removed because of age and safety concerns. Construction will be in stages, and plans are for expansion next year. The town bought the Playcore equipment through a purchasing cooperative with the State of Tennessee, getting a good deal.

The council addressed a new rezoning issue. Developers previously made a request to the planning commission for rezoning property at 1161 Ridgeway Dr. from Low to High Density Residential to build two duplexes. The Planning Commission’s recommendation stated that the property is too small to support two buildings, and it recommended the council change the zoning to Medium Density Residential with conditions. These conditions include allowing only one building containing two units, each with two bedrooms, not five bedrooms as applied for. Another condition from the Planning Commission is that the building must connect to the public sewer. Since that meeting, it was discovered that the closest sewer connection is too far away to be accessible.

With two substantial changes since the recommendation was sent to the council, Phil Noblett, town attorney, advised that the request be sent back to the Planning Commission for review. A public hearing and first vote about this property will take place at the July 9 council meeting. The second and final vote will be at the council’s July work session.

The council heard updates on multiple infrastructure projects that are in progress within the town. Mayor Chris Howley said he and the city manager attended two negotiation sessions with each of the two contenders for buying the town’s water system, Tennessee American Water and Walden’s Ridge Utility. A third meeting is scheduled, after which the agreements will be shared with the town council prior to the June work session. Proposals from both companies will be sent to the planning commission for a recommendation.

A contract with the company renovating the Mountain Arts Community Center has been received and is being reviewed by Mr. Noblett. Work should begin several weeks after the agreement is approved, and completion is expected around late October. Councilman Dan Landrum informed the council that another $1,000 was raised with a recent coffee house concert. The money will go toward putting sprinklers in the back of the building.

The town will receive federal money for repaving James Boulevard from River Point Road to Signal Point Road and is responsible for 20 percent of the cost. Approval has been received from TDOT, said Public Works Director Loretta Hopper, and, hopefully, work will begin this summer.

Issues that delayed the replacement of the Shoal Creek Bridge have been resolved, and the project will go out to bid on July 12. Ms. Hopper met with engineers about a new section of sidewalks that will be built and received revised plans in the attempt to avoid construction easements in historic locations. Work might not begin on this project until late next summer.

The council approved amending the 2017-2018 budget, which made adjustments that will shift funds because of changes in expenses that occurred during the year. The first reading and vote to accept the 2018-2019 budget was at the May 14 council meeting. The second and final vote scheduled for the June council meeting was postponed until the first regular meeting in July. The town will operate under a continuation budget after the 2018 budget expires. A public hearing on the budget will take place on the same night, before the vote.

The next council agenda/work session is scheduled for June 29. The next regular council meeting will be July 9.

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Town Sells Mulch on Saturdays

4/25/2018

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Signal Mountain Happenings

Toddler Storytime is Back!

Get Mulch for $5 a Load

TDOT to Repair Signal Mountain Boulevard

Town to Build New Playground

Town Sells Mulch on Saturdays

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