Brentwood commissioners signal preference for Alternative A on Old Smyrna Road after public input

Brentwood — Brentwood city staff and consultants presented results of a public meeting on Old Smyrna Road and briefed commissioners on the design alternatives, after which the commission signaled consensus to present Alternative A as the preferred option while reserving a final decision for when a design contract is returned.

The commission’s preferred-option direction follows a public-input summary the project consultant said showed overwhelming support for Alternative A: “86% of the people at the meeting … wanting alternate A,” consultant Dickey Sullivan said, adding that among residents who live on Old Smyrna Road support was about 82 percent.

City Engineer Derek Baskin told the commission staff will bring a design contract back for a formal vote: “Your final determination on which alternate is chosen will be after this meeting when we bring to you a contract for the design,” Baskin said.

Why it matters: Old Smyrna Road is a long‑running roadway project in Brentwood. Choosing a preferred alternative guides design, property negotiations, and future construction; the design that emerges will shape traffic patterns, tree and wall impacts, and the project’s pedestrian and stormwater treatments.

What the preferred option contains and public reaction

Consultants described Alternative A as a two‑lane arterial alignment with a converted pedestrian trail along the existing Old Smyrna Road corridor and new shoulders and a concrete ribbon curb outside the travel lanes. Sullivan said the alignment would be designed for a 35 mph design speed and that traffic‑calming measures such as a roundabout could be used where appropriate.

Sullivan told commissioners the public meeting showed strong support across groups: 90 percent among neighborhood respondents and 78 percent among commuters, with overall support at 86 percent. He said the city previously recommended Alternative A and that public comments generally sought adjustments within that alternative rather than a wholesale change.

Key impacts and clarifications

- Tree removal: Consultants reported Alternative A would remove five trees; three were described in the presentation as being in poor health (an ash noted as affected by emerald ash borer, two declining hackberries), plus a walnut and an 18‑inch cedar.

- Historic wall: Presentation slides stated Alternative A would affect roughly 85 feet of wall that staff said could be removed and reconstructed elsewhere; Alternative C was shown as affecting about 60 feet. Staff emphasized (and a presenter repeated) that some segments described as modern wall would be treated differently than older, historic wall.

- Driveways and crossings: The project area includes seven driveways crossing the proposed pedestrian trail; presenters said design details (narrowing trail widths at crossings, low landscaping treatments) would be used to improve pedestrian awareness and safety.

- Right of way and phasing: Staff said the city already controls much of the required right of way from subdivision dedications and that the engineering contract under negotiation will determine final tie‑ins and stormwater work; final design work could change specific impacts once detailed drainage and topography are engineered.

What the commission asked and next steps

Commissioners pressed staff on process and timing. Commissioner (first name) Dunn asked whether the commission would be reaching consensus before residents saw a final plan; staff said the intent was to identify a preferred option to present at follow‑up public meetings and then return with a design contract for the commission’s formal approval. Commissioner Donahue and other members discussed traffic calming, sightlines, and landscaping details.

Baskin and consultants said the contract for design will be the formal point at which the commission chooses the final alternative for design and right‑of‑way acquisition. Staff indicated they will return to the commission with contract documents and more detailed plans and will present design options for driveway crossings, storm drainage and any proposed roundabouts during the design phase.

Ending

Commissioners’ indication of a preferred alternative lets staff and consultants focus design work on Alternative A, but staff emphasized that nothing is final until the commission votes on the design contract and that detailed engineering may change some impacts.