Council presses developer for traffic controls as Fall Creek Commerce annexation proceeds

Developers seeking annexation and a planned-unit development for 225.25 acres east of I-840 presented the project concept at Smyrna’s January workshop and answered council questions about traffic and infrastructure.

Jason Weaver of GM Civil, representing the proponent, said the traffic study initially focused on the Bill France corridor at Rutherford County’s request. Council members and members of the public pressed for additional data at the Mona Road/Jefferson Pike junction and asked how the project would prevent heavy truck traffic from routing south on Mona into adjacent neighborhoods. Weaver said the team would obtain additional traffic counts at Mona/Jefferson Pike and would track impacts as individual site plans are submitted. The developer also described internal roadway connections intended to create a loop back toward Bill France to discourage through-truck movement south.

Planning staff summarized the land-use plan (840 Gateway character area) and the planning commission’s recommendation with conditions, including: no truck traffic entering roads south of the development; completion of an interior roadway parallel to I-840 and connections prior to phase 3 permits; and a 100-foot landscape buffer along residential boundaries. Council questioned whether the town’s utility, police and fire resources could keep pace with corridor development. Staff said utilities could support phased build-out and that police and fire resourcing would be adjusted as demand rises; staff also agreed to evaluate whether developer agreements should include additional oversight or funding for town-managed review work.

Members urged the developer and staff to return with more detailed Mona/Jefferson counts and clearer truck-routing geometry, and to consider design elements (roundabouts or lane restrictions) that limit heavy-truck movements onto local residential roads. The council did not vote on annexation at the workshop; staff and the developer will provide more detailed traffic counts and will coordinate follow-up materials for the council agenda.