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Becky Goff
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Ken Marks
RINGGOLD, Ga. — Some Mack Smith Road area residents said the work stoppage on a county sewer project near their homes is just the latest in a string of inconveniences for them, and without benefit.
“We’ve had the blasting to install sewer lines, miles of daily road detours around debris and equipment on the road and been without water twice,” Becky Goff, a May Street resident, said. “We had a rock come through our roof from blasting.”
She said the work stoppage last week because of environmental concerns means a longer time winding a 2-mile detour to get around a few hundred feet of Mack Smith Road.
Jimmy Hyma, Catoosa County project engineer with Arcadis Engineering, said, “If the 25-foot buffer on each side of the creek is disturbed, there is a mandatory stop work order.”
He said that happened when contractor East Tennessee Grading had construction equipment that got several feet inside the buffer.
County Commissioner Ken Marks said it’s a shame some residents have to endure the inconveniences but won’t receive sewer service yet.
“There is no one to blame,” Mr. Marks said, adding the county ran out of special purpose sales tax funds allocated for the project.
Ms. Goff said she has trouble not blaming someone.
“When we have no water because the water line in the street was damaged by blasting, I have no water to prepare a bottle of formula for my 6-month-old child,” she said.
Mr. Hyma said it is hoped work can be resumed this week, but he is waiting on word from the county or Georgia’s Environmental Protection Division.
Representatives of East Tennessee Grading, Arcadis and the county met with EPD officials last week after the order to stop work.
County Manager Mike Helton said it was productive.
“Results of the meeting will be beneficial to both parties,” he said about the county and local residents.
Mr. Hyma said a plan must be submitted to government officials showing how the buffer will be restored.
“We hope for a variance permitting work to resume on Mack Smith Road because it is about 2,000 feet from West Chickamauga Creek,” he said.
County Stormwater Manager Donald “Buster” Brown said a timeline and plan to repair land near the creek must be submitted before a variance can be requested, according to Mr. Hyma.
Meanwhile, neighbors keep driving around the work zone.
Fran Richardson of 111 Lillian Drive said her detour from Mack Smith Road to Steele Road, onto Walker Road, then North Avenue and Sutton Avenue “adds 15 minutes travel to get to Battlefield Parkway.”
