The city of Red Bank is set to complete the design and pre-environmental phase of its pedestrian improvement project, which involves the installation of several traffic-calming islands and pedestrian crosswalks on Dayton Boulevard.
The city received a grant from the Tennessee Department of Transportation in which TDOT agreed to pay 80 percent of the project’s cost. But at their July 19 meeting, commissioners voted unanimously for the city to pay 100 percent of the cost for this first phase in order for it to be complete by the deadline stipulated by the grant.
By doing so, City Manager Randall Smith said the city will still be able to receive the grant from TDOT to cover 80 percent of the other two phases of the project.
“Under the time constraints for the project, it’s in our best interest in this situation to go ahead and pay 100 percent,” he said.
In addition to the $13,000 the city has already spent on this phase, commissioners voted to spend an additional $10,217 to cover the full cost of the first phase.
Mayor John Roberts said the project was delayed because of issues concerning the engineering firm with which the city had originally contracted for the project, adding that the city is now working with a new and “more proactive” engineering firm. Officials elected not to identify either company.
Email Emily Crisman at ecrisman@timesfreepress.com.