Safety upgrades ‘on the way’ for Raccoon Valley Road
The intersection of State Route 170 known as Raccoon Valley Road and US 25 W, Clinton Highway, has been in need of improvements and an upgrade for some time.
Fortunately for Claxton residents and motorists who travel this intersection, safety upgrades are under way.
A few months ago, engineers with the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) assessed the need for improvements on this section of roadway, and after some investigation, determined to make safety upgrades to the location.
The road improvement project is part of what TDOT officials have called a “multi-phase” project, meaning the project would be completed in phases.
Modifications to the Claxton Elementary School and Clinton Highway interchange have already been completed.
For phase one, TDOT constructed dual left turn lanes on Clinton Highway to turn onto Edgemoor Road (SR 170).
Phase II of the improvement project includes upgrading traffic signals and replacing them with new equipment, adding school zone flashers and signs, widening the Raccoon Valley Road approach, and constructing a right turn lane for Claxton School on State Route 9.
At the Anderson County Commission meeting on April 17, commissioners were apprised of updates on the road work improvements on Raccoon Valley Road by Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank.
Anderson County Commissioner Tracy Wandell (Dist. 1) asked Frank to provide commissioners an update of the work TDOT and the Anderson County Road Department have done in the past few months.
Frank apprised commissioners that TDOT has plans under way to begin construction on the intersection soon, with a tentative start date for construction scheduled for 2018.
TDOT’s anticipated “turn in date” for the project is set for Nov. 29, 2017, Frank said.
According to TDOT’s list of project status updates on its website, engineering is currently under way for adding “turn lanes with signal.”
Wandell told fellow commissioners during last month’s commission meeting TDOT officials stated they were ready to move forward with the road improvements and were waiting on word from Anderson County officials on what areas of the road Anderson County citizens wanted improved.
“I think they [TDOT] are open to discussion,” Wandell said.
Wandell made a motion for the Anderson County Highway Committee to call a meeting together in the next 30 days, with county officials Frank and Highway Road Superintendent Gary Long in attendance, to discuss TDOT’s plans moving forward with Clinton Highway safety upgrades.
Commission unanimously passed Wandell’s motion.
At the commissioner’s operations committee meeting this Monday Wandell announced to commissioners on the committee the county highway and public safety committee would meet on Tuesday, May 9, at 9:30 a.m. to discuss TDOT plans for Clinton Highway.
“I think everything is moving in the right direction,” commented Wandell, at the operations committee meeting Monday, in response to the dialogue that has been initiated with TDOT representatives and county officials on road improvement plans moving forward for Clinton Highway.