Commission debates placement of Brentwood gateway signs after TDOT clear‑zone concerns

The commission reviewed a resolution supporting gateway signage at two locations — the southbound exit ramp at I‑65/Concord Road and a South Wilson Pike site — while debating whether the designs and siting meet Tennessee Department of Transportation safety clear‑zone rules.

The chair said the action before the panel is mainly procedural but urged commissioners to drive to the sites and check visibility. “I didn’t like that location. It’s shaded a little bit more, doesn’t highlight the sign. To me, it doesn’t feel like a gateway,” the chair said, describing a proposed location set back into a grove of trees.

Staff explained TDOT requires a clear zone of roughly 16–18 feet from the pavement to permanent obstructions, which limits site options and prompted pushback from a telecommunications provider that said the space was too tight. “A clear zone in terms of TDOT language would be that area required to be clear of obstructions so that if a car happens to run off of the road they wouldn’t hit it immediately,” said Derek, a staff member, summarizing the engineering constraint and why the team is discussing alternative placements.

Commissioners raised practical questions about sight lines for the two‑sided sign on South Wilson Pike, breakaway construction materials, and whether moving the sign slightly north or to the right side of the road would improve visibility. One commissioner suggested the currently proposed placement would obscure the back of a two‑sided sign against the median trees.

Staff emphasized that the resolution before the commission does not lock the city into the exact sign placement and that the city will continue working with TDOT, the design consultant and the contractor to seek a location that satisfies safety rules and gateway goals. The commission asked staff to continue negotiations and to bring back any proposed site changes once TDOT and the contractor provide formal feedback.

No vote or final adoption language for the specific sign locations was recorded in the transcript; the item was presented on the consent agenda as a routine step in the permitting process, and staff said they remain in conversation with TDOT and the project engineer about adjustments.