A traffic light will be installed on Jenkins Road at the entrance to US Xpress in the coming weeks. The majority of the project's expense - $88,767 - will be funded by the transportation company, which requested the light. The city of Chattanooga has agreed to the rest, approximately $27,400.
"I've never heard anybody in East Brainerd say we need one there," said City Councilman Jack Benson, who represents the area where the new light will be installed. "It's not at Igou Gap where it's needed but on Jenkins Road down in front of US Xpress where their driveway comes out back. I didn't vote for it."
Lights at other developments in the area have been put in at no cost to the city, with developers being required to foot the bill, although sometimes as part of a list of contingencies based on neighborhood feedback. The apartment complex being built at Panorama Drive and East Brainerd Road as well as the Waterside development on Shallowford Road are recent examples.
"US Xpress employs 1,200 people locally," said Richard Beeland, city of Chattanooga director of communications. "It's a good corporate partner for the community."
The measure passed with a 4-4 vote by City Council members.
"Many times when, say, a shopping center is being proposed and built the developers say they would like a signal. The same sort of thing happened here," explained city traffic engineer John Van Winkle. "We did a traffic study and determined that a signal was in fact warranted for peak hours."
As with any upgrades or improvements in the city, projects are subject to capital funding. Normally such actions are put on a list with other recommended improvements, Van Winkle said. If a developer wants a traffic light in place and working on opening day of their facility, for example, they must foot the bill to ensure timeliness, he added.
The city discussed putting a roundabout in at US Xpress, at the cost of half a million dollars to the city, according to Beeland, but a traffic signal was determined to be the best option. If the city were to fully fund the install when capital funds could be secured, the light would be the most basic version. Upgrades are the responsibility of the party requesting them, in this case US Xpress.
"We agreed we would put in a basic, straightforward, no bells or whistle-type traffic signal. They wanted something more," Van Winkle said. "That was up to them to pay for that."
A basic signal costs between $50,000 and $60,000 if contracted out, he said.
"I know we're going to get a bunch of complaints (saying) why is that traffic light there in that boulevard," Benson said. "The traffic engineer has agreed to put it on an electric eye so if nobody is coming out it will be green."
There will be minimal to no delays during construction, according to officials.
A roundabout is planned at Igou Gap and Jenkins roads, but there is no timeline on the project, for which funds have not yet been earmarked, Van Winkle said.