Madison County board approves study contract for proposed east–west corridor after residents raise objections

The Madison County Board of Supervisors voted on May 18 to advance a professional services contract with engineering firm Garver to study possible east–west road alignments connecting the Stripling/Catlett area toward Calhoun Station and East Sowell, after residents urged more study and changes to the contract packet.

Nathan Evans, who identified himself as president of the Panther Creek Homeowners Association, told the board the packet map is out of date and omits homes and recent subdivisions now in the proposed corridor. "If you sign it today, they can send us letters today and start tomorrow," Evans said, urging the board to deny or table the contract until maps and contract language are corrected and the county updates its comprehensive plan.

County engineer Tim Bryant said the contract is for a study, not a design, and that the first phase will identify alternatives and whether a route is even feasible. "The first part is going to be to come up with alternatives to find probably 3 different routes. There'll be several public hearings," Bryant said, adding there will also be a "no build" alternative considered.

Garver's desktop alignment in the packet served as an initial illustration, board members and the firm's designer said, but the board removed that map from official minutes at the request of residents who said it created uncertainty for property owners. Designer Shannon told the board the desktop alignment was only a starting point and that detailed surveying, traffic analysis and public input are required before any route is selected.

The board approved a motion to proceed with the contract while directing staff and Garver to remove the illustrative map from the meeting packet and to follow a public process. The board president said the county will require surveying and an alternatives analysis and emphasized there is no final route at this stage.

Evans had urged several options if the board would not deny the contract outright: denial; tabling pending a comprehensive‑plan update; tabling pending contract corrections; or tabling until Garver provides an updated base map showing current satellite imagery and setbacks. He also raised ethics concerns about possible personal benefit to a supervisor if particular alignments were pursued; he did not make a corruption allegation but asked that affected supervisors recuse if a conflict arose.

Board members said the agreement is the study phase: if the study progresses to design or property acquisition, additional steps, public hearings and procurement processes will be required. The board did not set a schedule for public hearings; staff said those would be scheduled during the study as alternatives are developed.

Next steps include execution of the study contract with the map removed from packet exhibits, a surveying and alternatives phase, traffic analyses and a series of public hearings before any design or acquisition would be considered.