Dangerous intersections were a topic Thursday night at the Soddy Daisy Commission meeting. Several people who live at the intersection of Gann Road and Thrasher Pike came to the meeting to see what measures could be put in place to improve the safety at that intersection and to get the city to work with Hamilton County on a solution.
Part of the problem is that a hill just before the intersection obstructs sight of approaching cars.
Another issue is that the roads do not cross at right angles, so as a car enters the intersection, the driver must look through the headrest and it is hard to see what is coming, speakers told the commissioners.
There have been many wrecks over the years, they said, with cars ending up knocking down fences and winding up in their front yards. When contacted three years ago, an engineer from Hamilton County said it was up to Soddy Daisy to fix the problem. Mayor Gene Shipley said the wrecks there are all worked by the county and so it is their responsibility. West of the intersection, Thrasher is in the city. The road east of the intersection belongs to Hamilton County.
Mayor Shipley said that Soddy Daisy will talk to Hamilton County to get them involved in the coming two weeks. "It is not ours to do," he said.
The Green Pond Rod and Lovell Road intersection is also dangerous, said a Soddy Daisy resident who spoke to the commissioners. He told them that a street light is 15 feet from Lovell Road and asked for it to be moved to the other side of the street to help visibility. This is a problem that the city has already been working on, said City Manager Janice Cagle. Public Works Director Steve Grant has talked to EPB and has arranged for the bulb to be changed to a brighter, 400 watt LED. That will be tried first to see if it helps, she said.
A public hearing for the city to abandon a portion of the right-of-way on the west side of Dayton Pike, parallel to 12193 Dayton Pike, was held at the commission meeting without opposition. The public works director has looked at the site and has given his OK, and the planning commission has recommended approval. On the first vote, commissioners approved the ordinance. This will allow a development to be built on the property. A second vote must be in favor before approval is final.
Marcus Wolff, owner of a retail package store, was given approval for the required yearly certificate of compliance for his business.
Commissioner Rick Nunley announced that a history fair will be held at the high school on Saturday, Jan. 19, from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m.
The city manager said that 2019 is the 50-year anniversary of the founding of Soddy Daisy. She requests ideas and any thoughts about how to celebrate the milestone.