Meeting scheduled to discuss Interstate 69

By Greg Little, Managing Editor
The Covington Leader On Line
August 19, 2005

It may not be what everyone wants, but at least some officials are going to talk about Interstate 69.

“I am trying to jump-start the process,” said Sen. Mark Norris, R-Collierville.

Norris has arranged for a community meeting in Tipton County to discuss the proposed interstate. That meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m., Monday, Sept. 26 at Brighton High School.

Norris is encouraging everyone to attend.

“The purpose of the meeting is to resume the process where information is provided and public input is welcome,” said Norris.

He also said this meeting is not to establish a route for the road, although discussion of alternatives will certainly be part of the meeting.

State officials continue to wait on the federal government to release the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS), which, by law, must be complete before formal discussions can take place about where the interstate will be located.

However, Norris, chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee, said he thinks the process needs to continue to move forward, especially given the fact money has been appropriated in the transportation bill. Those funds include money to begin design and right-of-way work in Tipton County.

The stretch of the proposed interstate between Dyersburg and Memphis is the only part in Tennessee in which a route has not been decided, said Norris.

“I have decided not withstanding the lack of information, we should proceed with this town meeting,” said Norris.

“We’ve got some funding which is now available and we need to get on with it,” said Norris.

Ed Cole, chief of environment and planning for the Tennessee Department of Transportation, will be at the meeting as will other TDOT staff members.

“This is not to set a route, but we can certainly talk about alternatives,” said Norris.

Norris said he thinks the state is “just as frustrated” as area residents who have been waiting on the DEIS for more than two years.

He also said it will give state officials an opportunity to encourage local residents to contact their representatives in Washington and encourage them to help move along the DEIS process, which will eventually lead to setting of the route by Gov. Phil Bredesen and TDOT Director Gerald Nicely.

Norris called the recent passage of the transportation bill a “giant leap forward” and said it “makes so many of these things possible” when it comes to I-69 and everything associated with building a new interstate.