City Council OKs Closing Segment of Hickerson Drive for Town Creek project

The Murfreesboro City Council voted Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024, to authorize the closing of a small segment of Hickerson Drive to vehicular use for the Town Creek daylighting project. With the project set to commence construction, the portion of Hickerson Drive will not be accessible to vehicular traffic beginning in the Spring of 2025 just north of West Castle Street. The Planning Commission voted to approve the mandatory referral request Sept. 4, 2024.

"The closure of this segment of Hickerson Drive will help facilitate the construction of the Town Creek Daylighting project," said Assistant City Manager Sam Huddleston. As has been stated previously, the corrugated metal stormwater piping in which Town Creek flows needs repair. This project, with support from federal America Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding, will not only mitigate failing and aging infrastructure, but create a natural, green space for recreational enjoyment."

Town Creek is an underground stream that originates in Murfree Spring at the Discovery Center and flows to Cannonsburgh Village before emptying into Lytle Creek. For the latest CityTV video featuring demolition of businesses along Broad Street to make way for the daylighting of Town Creek, watch https://youtu.be/1kbJLj83qx8?si=F9aLHShiJ_RQeFkd

The City of Murfreesboro took possession of the last building on Northwest Broad Street across from City Hall to make way for the daylighting of Town Creek Project. The Longhorn Liquor building will soon be the last structure demolished. Other buildings along Broad Street have been removed over the summer as part of the project to develop a linear, urban park.

Mandatory referrals are required when there is a real estate action on City property or City right-of-way. The City Planning Commission and Planning Department staff recommended the closing of Hickerson Drive.

On Jan. 11, 2024, Council authorized a professional services contract with Energy, Land and Infrastructure, Inc. (ELI) to design a Pedestrian Bridge over Broad Street as part of the overall project. The pedestrian bridge is intended to connect the area known as "The Bottoms" with downtown.

"The intent of the Pedestrian Bridge over Broad Street is to provide a safe pedestrian alternative from Murfreesboro's downtown area to the Town Creek project and the Historic Bottoms Corridor," said Transportation Director Jim Kerr.

The bridge project will be funded through TDOT's competitive Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) grant funds. TDOT distributes federal funds to communities to build sidewalks, bike lanes, and update ADA accessibility, and to renovate historic transportation facilities. TDOT notified the City of the award for the pedestrian bridge project of $1.7 million from the TAP program.

On Dec. 21, 2023, Council authorized Task Orders for Phase 2 of the "daylighting" Town Creek project with Griggs and Maloney Engineering.

"The Town Creek Project and related public improvements will enhance the entrance to the downtown area and encourage redevelopment of the Historic Bottoms," added Huddleston. "By daylighting Town Creek, the stream will be returned to a natural condition which provides the environmental benefit required by ARPA and it removes a large, aging stormwater culvert installed in the 1950s."

Previously approved Task Orders with Griggs and Maloney include:

• ALTA Survey and Geotechnical Exploration and Environmental Soil Sampling for Tract 8 along the Town Creek Phase 2 corridor and will be funded from ARPA funds designated for Town Creek Daylighting
• Building Characterization (asbestos, HVAC, Fire Suppression) of Tract 8 within the Phase 2 corridor and funded from General Fund designated to Town Creek property acquisition
• Environmental permitting along the Town Creek Phase 1 and 2 corridor and will be funded from ARPA funds designated for Town Creek Daylighting
• 50% Construction Documents within the Phase 1 and 2 corridors, funded from ARPA funds designated for Town Creek Daylighting

On Jan. 12, 2022, Council voted to approve proceeding with appraisal, negotiation, and acquisition of property along Broad Street for the daylighting of Town Creek. Phase I of the Town Creek Redevelopment Project will daylight Town Creek from Murfree Springs to Church Street. Phase II will daylight Town Creek from South Church Street to South Front Street at Cannonsburgh Village.

The Historic Bottoms Planning Study included the recommended exploration of "'daylighting' Town Creek and extending the Lytle Creek Greenway to the Discovery Center. Town Creek was placed in culverts as part of development and redevelopment projects in the 1950s and 1960s including Broad Street. The culvert system is approximately 70 years old.

According to previous engineering inspections, the culverts are in poor condition and in need of repair or replacement. In 2007, a portion of the culvert system failed in the former KFC parking lot and had to be replaced. Griggs & Maloney has proposed abandoning the pipe and culvert infrastructure and daylighting Town Creek rather than replacing the existing structure.

The Town Creek Daylighting Phase 1 (Planning & Design) project included the following by Griggs & Maloney:

• Surveying of the project area;
• Flow monitoring of Town Creek, 2016-2017 winter season;
• Planning and detailed design;
• Plans for diverting the stream flow during construction;
• Site plan for a 'pocket park' and surface trail connecting trails at Murfree Springs;
• Assist City with obtaining stream mitigation credits;
• Bidding phase assistance.

Completion of the Town Creek Phase II project will provide walking and biking trail connectivity from the Discovery Center and Murfree Springs to Cannonsburgh Village and the Greenway Trail System.

For more information on daylighting Town Creek Stream, e-mail Assistant City Manager Sam Huddleston at [email protected].

For City News online, visitwww.Murfreesborotn.gov.

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