Residents press Sumner County committee to address school pickup congestion at Wolfpack Way and Hunters Lane

Residents of the Hunters Lane and Wolfpack Way area told a Sumner County committee that afternoon pickup at the nearby Liberty Creek schools is blocking driveways, creating dangerous conditions and could prevent emergency vehicles from reaching homes.

The concerns drew a lengthy public comment period and discussion among committee members. After hearing neighbors’ testimony, the committee voted to send the issue to the full Sumner County Commission and requested that the board of education add the matter to its agenda for consideration. Committee members also asked that the engineer of record revisit the site plans to identify possible storage or circulation changes that could reduce queuing on the county road.

Mike Clark, a resident at 102 TL Trail, Hendersonville, described repeated blockages during school pickup: "I counted 22 cars on Hunter ... they were backed all the way up to you," he said, adding that vehicles queued in turn lanes and across private driveways. "There's something needs to be done."

Paul Mangrum, 117 Timber Trail, said the backups present an emergency-access risk. "If there was a medical emergency ... they could not come down the hill to make that left turn on to Hunter," he said, urging either traffic enforcement, a gate that could be opened by emergency responders, or staged circulation that keeps cars off Wolfpack Way.

Multiple other residents described similar experiences: blocked driveways, drivers using the left-turn lane to go straight, and high speeds on adjacent approaches. Several speakers said the school does not allow cars on campus before 2 p.m.; a resident who identified herself as Cindy said, "cars are not allowed on the school property prior to 2 o'clock," a rule residents said contributes to roadside queuing.

Committee members and county staff described several paths forward. The committee chair said the county could withhold formal adoption of Wolfpack Way as a county road until the circulation problems were addressed, telling the room that "our only play ... is to not approve that road as a county road until this problem gets fixed." County staff and the chair also reported recent communications with the school system; the chair said he had emailed the director of schools on Dec. 17 and received a response the day of the meeting that the district would send parent communications asking drivers not to block driveways.

Superintendent (school system) and county road staff said larger engineering and staging solutions exist on district property and nearby right-of-way. The road superintendent (Toby) said work is already under way on a separate state-led project at Latimer Lane and Long Hollow and that signage and rumble strips would be placed near the Hunters Lane end. County staff recommended that the engineer of record revisit the approved plans to evaluate additional storage or reconfiguration that could be built where the district has open acreage.

After discussion, the committee member who made the motion asked that the item be forwarded to the full commission as a request that the board of education add the intersections (Latimer Lane & Long Hollow, Latimer & Hunters, and Wolfpack Way & Hunters) to its agenda; the motion also asked that the engineer of record review the plans with the problems known today and report back. The committee voted in favor of sending the request to the commission; members noted there was some opposition but the motion passed.

Next steps identified by the committee include: county staff continuing coordination with the school system on parent communications and staged circulation; the engineer of record reviewing site plans for additional storage or a staged overflow area; and the full commission and board of education taking up the matter in upcoming meetings. The committee chair urged residents to email their school board members and to attend upcoming meetings so the district and county can craft a combined solution.