News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Cookeville City Council will look to adopt a new bicycle and pedestrian circulation plan next month.
The city hired Nashville-based Gresham Smith to update the city’s 2003 plan earlier this year. Company representative Drew Gaskins said the new plan emphasized three key things.
“Which was connecting the central sector of the city with the outlying neighborhoods,” Gaskins said. “The second one is building on the rail trail, which is a great resource. Finally, addressing all those barriers that make it difficult for people to get across major streets.”
Gresham Smith used input from community meetings and surveys to help put the plan together. Some of the requested improvements from a recent survey included more greenways, side paths, buffered bike lanes, and open streets.
Gaskins said implementation of the plan will involve program development and facility development.
“The plan already has some of these steps fleshed out. The first one is design guidelines,” Gaskins said. “So the plan includes state of the practice design guidelines for both bicycle and pedestrian facilities. We would recommend the city review these and possibly incorporate them into the city’s own design standards going forward.”
Cookeville Planning Commissioners voted to adopt the updated plan during last week’s meeting. City Council will consider the resolution during their January 16 meeting.
“We feel like we will have a very good guide that will be helpful to the city as we make decision moving forward for pedestrian and bicycle circulation facilities. You knowm potential bike lanes and where we need sidewalks,” Ward said. “We’ve worked with Gresham Smith on the project and think we have a good product.”
Funding for the updated plan came from a TDOT Community transportation Planning Grant.
