Tom Rose, Public Works Director for the Town of Smyrna, outlined a slate of street projects and traffic-safety work, including milling and resurfacing in several neighborhoods, downtown Front Street traffic-calming measures and a speed study on Jefferson Pike that could change posted limits.

The update matters because the projects affect driving routes, pedestrian crossings and posted speeds for residents across Smyrna and require coordination with Rutherford County and the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT). Rose said the work aims to improve pavement condition and slow vehicle speeds in downtown areas where motorists have been observed traveling quickly.

Rose said the town has begun milling and will repave older streets starting in the Rosemont Subdivision, then move to the Greentree Subdivision and streets near the airbase. "We're working on milling in the Rosemont Subdivision. We're starting to pave back some of the streets as well," he said, adding the milling and resurfacing program will take several months and is weather dependent. The town is aiming to finish this calendar year where possible, with remaining work to resume in spring if needed.

Downtown Front Street has already received milling and resurfacing, Rose said, and a contractor is replacing older crosswalk areas with concrete "to make it more visible to people." He added the town plans to install speed tables at Front Street at Division Right and College Street to slow traffic: "We'll be coming in later on with some speed tables along, Front Street at Division Right and College Street to help slow traffic down there as well."

On Jefferson Pike, Rose said the town completed a speed study covering sections with 30-, 40- and 45-mph limits and is analyzing the data to determine whether to adjust posted speeds. "We're putting that into computer software to determine if we can make some adjustments by increasing the speed limit through there or waiting to find out those results and be able to repost some of the speed limits through there," he said.

Rose noted the intersection at I-840 and Jefferson Pike lies in Rutherford County and that the county is responsible for the traffic signals. Smyrna has a contract to perform maintenance on those lights, and the town will work with Rutherford County to evaluate allowing a permissive left-turn movement controlled by a flashing yellow arrow when oncoming traffic is clear. "So we're evaluating that along with Rutherford County because those traffic signals are in the county, and we don't we can't go out there and just make changes without permission from Rutherford County," he said.

Rose said the Jefferson Pike speed study should be completed in two to three weeks and that the department is coordinating timing for any signal or signage changes with Rutherford County. For project status the public can consult the town project tracker on the Town of Smyrna website (townofsmyrna.org) or contact the Public Works office at (615) 459-9766.

No formal votes or policy decisions were recorded in this update; Rose presented project status, timelines and interagency coordination as information for residents and stakeholders.