Murray Lane/Holly Tree Gap Roundabout Now Open. The City of Brentwood’s newest roundabout, at Murray Lane and Holly Tree Gap, opened on Friday, Aug. 2, improving safety and driving times in that area. Contractors continue to work near the roundabout, so drivers should remain alert when entering this circular roadway.

For years, the intersection functioned as a three-way stop, causing traffic delays during peak commuting hours. The city hired the civil engineering firm Neel-Shaffer to conduct a traffic study in 2019, and that study concluded that a roundabout would “provide a significant improvement in traffic operation at this intersection.”

Fisher Court Section Closed. After consulting with the Williamson County School System, the City of Brentwood closed Fisher Court, between McClanahan Drive and Arden Woods Drive, on Monday, Aug. 5, to install a new sewer line.

The road will remain closed for three weeks while Brentwood Water Services contractors complete this project. School System officials indicated this timeframe, coinciding with the first day of school, would be the least disruptive for the Scales Elementary School community.

Fisher Court residents will be allowed to enter the construction zone throughout the project, and they will continue to have access to their driveways. All other traffic will be diverted to Johnson Chapel Road, and Brentwood Police will conduct extra patrols to ensure motorists obey the “Road Closed” signs.

StreetScan in Brentwood. To improve the conditions of city streets, Brentwood is partnering with StreetScan, a Massachusetts-based company that has assessed streets in more than 280 communities in North America, including Brentwood in 2021.

StreetScan employs vehicle-mounted sensing technology to assess road conditions in normal traffic flow. The system uses its technology to determine the health of each street and to identify road defects, including potholes, bumps, and cracking. This data helps the Public Works Department identify and prioritize repair needs.

StreetScan vehicles will be driving around Brentwood for the next six days. The vehicles are quiet and will drive every street at or just below the speed limit. They will only collect road data during daylight hours.

If you have any questions, contact Brentwood Public Works Director Todd Hoppenstedt at todd.hoppenstedt@brentwoodtn.gov.

Your Brentwood is a series highlighting the unique stories, hobbies, and interests of City of Brentwood employees.

Kevin Blackburn remembers the first time he saw the purple dragon. It was the summer of 1988, and the 10-year-old Blackburn was awe-struck as he walked around the Walt Disney World resort. That afternoon, he stepped out of the sunshine into Epcot’s Imagination! Pavilion and suddenly came face-to-face with Figment, a purple animatronic dragon. His life would never be the same.

“Just like my kids love dinosaurs now, I’ve always been fascinated by them,” he said. “But when I saw Figment, it was like, ‘This is the coolest thing ever!’ The intricate robotics sparked a new interest – I wanted to be part of that world, to create things like that.”

In the late 1980s, Figment was a robotics, engineering, and technology marvel. The dragon inspired Blackburn to pursue a STEM career, and today he works as a Brentwood City Engineer.

But the entire Disney experience – the sights, the sounds, and the immersive atmosphere – energized Blackburn that summer. When the family vacation ended, he vowed to return as an adult. Blackburn more than kept that promise. In addition to visiting the parks multiple times, he has allowed Disney to play a pivotal role in most of his life’s major milestones.

Friday, Aug. 9

10 a.m. - Friends of the Library Used Book Sale

 

Sunday, Aug. 11

1 p.m. - Friends of the Library Used Book Sale

 

Wednesday, Aug. 14

4:30 p.m. - Library Board

 

Monday, Aug. 19

5:30 p.m. - Board of Zoning Appeals

 

Thursday, Aug. 22

9 a.m. - City Commission Informational

 

Thursday, Aug. 29

8 a.m. - Planning Commission Informational

Saturday, Aug. 10

10 a.m. - Friends of the Library Used Book Sale

 

Monday, Aug. 12

6:45 p.m. - Beer Board

7 p.m. - City Commission

 

Friday, Aug. 16

9:30 a.m. - Historic Commission

 

Tuesday, Aug. 20

7:30 a.m. - Tree Board

 

Monday, Aug. 26

7 p.m. - City Commission

 

 

Visit the calendar page for locations.

Brentwood Fire and Rescue's popular Public Safety Day will return from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 5, at 330 Franklin Road.

Sign up for the Williamson County Citizen Alert System (also known as Everbridge) and receive timely mobile, text, or email messages. You can select the types of alerts you want to receive, and do-not-disturb times. Most landlines are already in the system. Visit this link to sign up.

To receive city-wide traffic alerts on your cell phone, just text 37027 to 888777 to opt-in to our other platform, known as Nixle. Those messages are sent to everyone who has opted in, and they are not tailored to specific neighborhoods

Can't make it to the City Commission? Watch it live, or whenever you have time.

Fire Five!