Would neighborhood speed bumps slow drivers down?
The Nashville Town Council briefly discussed installing speed bumps in certain residential areas at the March meeting.
Town Manager Scott Rudd said he’d been approached by neighbors about installing one in his neighborhood. “We all have kids; maybe we could be a pilot (project),” he said.
Council Vice President Jane Gore also had talked about them for her neighborhood on Coffey Hill Road, Rudd said. Gore mentioned people speeding in her area.
Rudd asked the council if his Locust Lane neighborhood could try them.
Utility Coordinator Sean Cassiday said his biggest concern is that they’d tear up a snowplow. Rudd said it’s possible to get removable speed bumps, and he said he’d come back to the council in April with estimates and options.
More communication required for INDOT projects
The Indiana General Assembly has passed a Senate bill that requires the Indiana Department of Transportation to give more consideration to local communities when planning state road projects.
Senate Bill 269 says that INDOT has to consider the impact on the local economy, tourism and residents when it decides to plan a bridge repair or road repair, or detour traffic from a state highway. It requires the agency to look at the timing of that project so that it can be the least disruptive to the community, said Nashville Town Manager Scott Rudd.
Senate Bill 269 was sponsored by Sen. Eric Koch (R-Bedford). Several Brown County people testified in favor of it, including Rudd, Brown County commissioner Diana Biddle and Story Inn owner Rick Hofstetter.
Hofstetter told a Senate committee that his business lost $100,000 last year because of the closure of State Road 135 South. He also complained about detour signs being placed more than six miles north of where the highway work actually was happening.
Rudd said in the March 15 town council meeting that he’s very thankful for INDOT’s work to improve roads, like its Community Crossings grant program, but “we also want to raise our level of communication and planning and make sure we minimize the impact on our economy.”
The other part of SB 269 also was based on a Brown County situation: It requires a regional sewer district to notify area municipalities if the district plans to expand. When the Bean Blossom Sewer District expanded in 2013, it surrounded Nashville, taking in all areas not already served by another sewer district. It’s now called the Brown County Regional Sewer District. That part of the bill won’t affect Brown County now, but it could impact other communities, Rudd said.
Duke Energy replaces lights, trims trees
Duke Energy has been spending some time in Nashville, replacing street light bulbs and getting trees trimmed that could fall on power lines.
Town Manager Scott Rudd told the town council that Duke hired Townsend tree service to be in town for a few days, trimming trees that may be in danger of interfering with electric lines.
The trees don’t have to be on town property; any tree that could fall or drop limbs on electric lines could be trimmed, Rudd said.
To report a tree in need of attention, call Town Hall at 812-988-5526.
Duke also repaired 13 street lights that were blinking or out, Rudd said.
Reminder: Don’t attach things to town posts
Nashville Town Council President “Buzz” King held a lost cat poster up at the March council meeting and made an announcement he’s made before: Do not tape, staple or otherwise attach anything to town light posts, or the posts of the new pumphouse at the Village Green, where the cat poster was.
The staples eventually damage the wood, he said, and “it looks bad, and nobody ever takes them down.”
If you’re going to post a sign, use your own stake, he said.
Town council issues tree, arts, bus proclamations
The Nashville Town Council approved the following proclamations March 15:
- Proclaiming April 22 Arbor Day in Nashville.
- Proclaiming May 6 Access Brown County Day in Nashville. The community’s public transit service is looking to raise $10,000 to get matching funds from the Indiana Department of Transportation to help sustain service. Access Brown County is funded by money from county government, donations, and fares from riders. Senior citizens ride for free.
- Proclaiming Sept. 7 to 9 as Art Colony Weekend in Nashville. The Nashville Arts and Entertainment Commission is involved in organizing activities.
