Residents push back on traffic plans for Tennessee Nature Academy; NDOT says conditions and engineers will review

Chris Mitchell, the council liaison with NDOT, provided updates on the development approvals that affect Carruthers Farms, including the Tennessee Nature Academy (TNA). He said the school was required to submit a traffic management plan, provide traffic-control officers for arrival and dismissal, contribute toward a future traffic signal at Carruthers and Battle, retime a nearby signal, submit striping and signage plans, and extend sidewalk along the property.

Mitchell said the permit for one local church had already been approved and there was little NDOT could impose after approval, but urged residents to discuss traffic-control measures with the developer. On TNA, he said some mitigation — including contributions to a signal and traffic control at arrival/dismissal — are conditions of approval. "They also have to implement common measures on Fairchild Circle and Fairchild Circle East," he said.

Residents disputed the sufficiency of engineering analysis and pressed NDOT to consider a traffic circle at a key intersection instead of a traffic signal, arguing that a circle can carry comparable volume, preserve neighborhood character and cost less. One resident said traffic calming now diverts cars onto local side streets and warned TNA could add "1,400 extra transactions" when fully developed; another said neighbors were not adequately notified before approvals.

Mitchell said engineers will review the community’s feedback and that NDOT would relay feasibility questions to the development team. He also listed repaving and bike-lane projects slated for spring, and said some projects (including a roundabout at Old Hickory and Pettus) are delayed and being held for early spring work.