HENDERSONVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Whether it's an issue impacting an entire city or one particular neighborhood, NewsChannel 5 is listening to your concerns.
A neighbor in Hendersonville contacted us about his efforts to make a street in his subdivision safer.
Some residents are turning to the city to urge drivers to slow down on the road.
The Creekwood subdivision in Hendersonville has been home for Robert Little for decades.
"We get to know our neighbors, we knock on doors, we say hello," said Robert Little, who moved to the Creekwood subdivision in the 1990s.
Little said the main road in the neighborhood, Creekwood Lane, has gotten much more dangerous in recent years.
"They clock cars doing 58 miles an hour in a 30-mile-an-hour zone in a subdivision," Little said.
He said many cars have even crashed on a bridge on the street, and people have been seen cars racing down the long straight road, that has no stop signs.
Little has been in touch with Hendersonville city officials and his Aldermen asking for help.
He'd like to see the speed limit lowered to 25 mph, speed bumps installed, and since sidewalks aren't an option, he has another suggestion.
"If we have a pedestrian right of way which is 5 feet wide from curb out, everyone knows where you're supposed to walk," Little said.
I reached out to city leaders in Hendersonville about these concerns.
They said public works staff and an alderman met with a Creekwood Lane neighbor this summer to discuss safety concerns previously reviewed in Public Works Committee meetings and staff have evaluated the road and a recommendation will be made that follows federal guidelines.
Below is the city’s full statement.
Public works staff and alderman met with a Creekwood Lane resident this summer to discuss safety concerns previously reviewed in Public Works Committee meetings. Staff evaluated the roadway and will make recommendations that follow federal guidelines for traffic control and calming. Municipalities are required to follow federal guidelines such as the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) to ensure cities maintain federal funding for roadway improvements.
Sidewalks and other neighborhood amenities are built by the developers who create subdivisions. The city has never added sidewalks within existing subdivisions. Such a commitment would require taking homeowners’ property and increasing taxes on all Hendersonville property owners.
Neighbor James Gunn said one reason people need to slow down is there are more young people in Creekwood.
"We've wound up with more children back here than we have had in quite some time. And we have these cars come speeding through here all the time," Gunn said.
As more growth happens around the subdivision, both Gunn and Little are worried that the dead-end street in Creekwood could eventually connect to busier roads and make the problem even worse.
I also reached out to the Hendersonville Aldermen representing the ward where Creekwood is located.
Alderman Mark Evans provided me with the following comment about this story.
We have met with Robert Little about neighborhood concerns he has many times. We’ve addressed some issues and others have been evaluated by our Public Works Department and deemed they aren’t warranted per policies of the city, state, and road industry standards.
This story was reported on-air by a Robb Coles and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Coles verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at robb.coles@newschannel5.com.
I'm so thankful Robb Coles highlighted the Kamer Davis clinic in Hermitage and the hardship that may force its closure. The clinic provides care for patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities and there is no other place like it nearby. You can tell the staff is so passionate about the care they provide. I hope by shining the light on this, the right person can step in and make a difference.
- Carrie Sharp
