Oak Ridge North approved to move forward with a Master Thoroughfare Plan in early April. Oak Ridge North decided to move forward with a Master Thoroughfare Plan in early April.[/caption]

Oak Ridge North City Council approved an amendment to the 2017 fiscal year Economic Development Corporation budget to add money toward master thoroughfare planning and thoroughfare projects at Monday night's City Council meeting.

City Council members approved an Economic Development Corporation amendment to add $12,185 to the budget category for thoroughfare planning and approved an EDC expenditure of $37,185 for future master thoroughfare plan projects.

Heather Neely, director of economic development, said the budget for thoroughfare planning ended up being more than expected but the EDC felt it was important to move forward with the item.

"Joe Sherwin, [director of public works & engineering], got a bid from Brown and Gay [Engineers] and it came over a little bit over from what we had initially budgeted," she said. "This is an item we felt it was really important for us to fund so the EDC did increase the budget item. So we need council to approve it."

City Council had previously unanimously decided to move forward with a master thoroughfare plan for the city at the April 10 City Council meeting.

According to city officials, the master thoroughfare plan would give the city more control of rights of way for future projects, help discover what thoroughfares need to be developed in the city and also consider how to move forward with Robinson Road in the process.