Debris clearing for a $6 million project to align Hanna and Robinson roads was completed in November, according to Montgomery County Precinct 3, and utility relocations are set to continue into the new year. Oak Ridge North will manage the project, according to the county.
The realignment project was expected to go out for bids by fall 2023, and construction could begin in November. Construction will take about a year, officials said.
The realignment goes hand in hand with tighter zoning restrictions the city implemented along Robinson Road in an area it designated the Plaza District in 2013.
Any business seeking to open on the west side of Robinson Road must go to the Oak Ridge North Planning and Zoning Committee and City Council to obtain a special-use permit, which must be approved by both governmental bodies to move forward.
Strickland Dental was the first business to set up in the Plaza District and thus became a template for future development standards, according to City Manager Heather Neeley.
Nutrition Shack has expressed interest in the area as well as a number of other businesses that have applied for special-use permits.
However, many of these agreements have not moved forward due to the design and drainage requirements also required, officials said.
Plaza District construction must not interfere with existing drainage to homes located in the surrounding residential zone, according to city officials. In addition, buildings must be built in a style consistent with existing homes.
“We want them to look similar to homes,” Neeley said. “The council is not opposed to them being torn down, just that the look is somewhat cohesive—that you’re not having this super tall, modern building,” Neeley said.
The Plaza District is meant to have “a look of its own” as a town center, which will offer some retail and services that appeal to people traveling in the corridor, according to Neeley.
“We have a general idea of what the possibilities are and what businesses we would like to move forward with, or the types of businesses we would like to move forward with, but it’s just going to come down to when the road is actually built,” said Jordan Buras, director of economic development for the city.
The road realignment will also help with an expected increase in traffic in the area, officials said.
A previous traffic study conducted by the city showed roughly 25,000 cars a week traveled on Robinson Road, but new estimates project that number will grow to 30,000-40,000 by the time the Robinson Road project is completed.
With the Plaza District focusing on a residential look for businesses, City Hall will move to another location once Robinson Road is realigned to allow the property at the intersection with Hanna to benefit the city’s tax base. The new location for city offices will be outside the Plaza District, Neeley said.
Plaza plans
The Plaza District commercial zone was established in 2013 for Town Center development, but it hinges on a Robinson Road realignment beginning in 2023.The Plaza District zoning accommodates smaller businesses to provide shopping and destination opportunities near the center of Oak Ridge North.
Realignment project progress
Timeline: Fall 2023-late 2024
Cost: $6 million
Funding sources: City of Oak Ridge North, Montgomery County
