Government agencies and employees usually only get complaints, not compliments. However this week I think TDOT and the Hamilton County Election Commission deserve a big thank you from our citizens.
I voted at the Collegedale location Friday. The lines were long but moved in a very orderly fashion. It was obvious the HCEE had planned for the number of voters that showed up. There was even water and crackers for the long wait. I stood in line for 90 minutes and had just gotten within sight of the entrance when a lady told us the computers were down county wide. Within 15 minutes they were back up and running, so obviously the workers were ready for any contingency.
TDOT did an excellent job of planning for the necessary closing of the I-75 to I-24 west ramp at the split. They had warning signs overhead two weeks before the closure to give drivers plenty of warning and they had an excellent plan to expedite traffic that exited on East Brainerd Road and returned to I-75. Obviously there were delays that were inevitable in such an operation but it appears they were kept to a minimum due to the excellent planning and foresight of TDOT.
Thanks to both agencies and their employees.
Douglas Jones
Ooltewah