The city of Oak Ridge North is studying the future of Robinson Road to improve mobility within the city. The city commissioned Klotz and Associates on Jan. 13 to study the expansion and relocation of Robinson Road—which serves as the main thoroughfare through the city—and will share the $590,000 cost for the study with Montgomery County. The study will examine the possible expansion of the road from two lanes to four, as well as the feasibility of relocating Robinson Road to mitigate traffic congestion at the intersection with Hanna Road, City Manager Vicky Rudy said. The project is critical for the success of other nearby mobility initiatives such as an upgraded interchange at Robinson Road and I-45, as well as the proposed Rayford Road expansion from four to six lanes, Rudy said. "If you include Rayford Road in a bond and you do not include the interchange and Robinson Road, you have not solved any real problem," Rudy said. "Those three projects need to happen in concert with each other to do any good at all for the traffic problems on the east side of I-45." The city has purchased property at 27425 Robinson Road for about $480,000. While no plans have been approved, Rudy said the property could become the future location of City Hall if Robinson Road is relocated. However, the fate of the Robinson Road relocation—along with that of many Montgomery County mobility initiatives—hinges on the passage of a proposed Montgomery County road bond election, Rudy said. The bond election will possibly be held in May. She said Robinson Road construction could begin within a year or two if funds become available through the bond election. If voters do not approve the road bond, Rudy said the city still plans to move forward with the project, but it can be delayed by five to eight years. "If, for some reason, there is no bond and we do not get to do the road—which I think would be catastrophic—we will at least have the [engineering] plans," Rudy said. "Proceeding through the other [financing] options could be a five- to eight-year process. There will be 32,000 cars out here on these roads. This bond election is critical." A lack of bond funding could also hinder future development of the city, Economic Development Director Susan Cates said. "It would stifle continued residential and commercial growth east of our ETJ," Cates said. "People will not tolerate a certain level of traffic issues."