Tim Jennings

An executive committee of rural transportation officials ignored a priority list set by a subcommittee and ranked improving state Route 30 as their No. 1 priority for a state study, officials said Tuesday.

The executive committee of the Southeast Tennessee Rural Planning Organization met last week in Chattanooga and ranked seven road projects it would like the Tennessee Department of Transportation to study. The executive committee is made up of county and municipal executives.

The RPO’s technical committee, made up of road supervisors and public works officials, met one week earlier in Decatur and ranked improving U.S. Highway 72 between Jasper and Kimball as its top priority. Improving state Route 30 between Pikeville and the Rhea County line ranked No. 2.

Executive committee members ranked the U.S. 72 project No. 6 on its list of priorities.

Bledsoe County Mayor Gregg Ridley, chairman of the executive committee, said SR 30 has been No. 1 in the past, and board members wanted to keep the emphasis on a proposed SR 30 economic development corridor. Other projects moved up in rank because they were county seat connectors, he said.

“My concern has been the county seat connectors and the Highway 30 corridor and getting the attention of TDOT,” Mr. Ridley said.

The chairman of the technical committee said he was disappointed in the decision.

“We were all in agreement,” said Meigs County Highway Supervisor Tim Jennings. “We thought we had our bases covered. I felt like it was a slap in the face for the technical committee.”

Mr. Jennings said technical committee members will meet in October and discuss what role the committee actually plays in planning.

RPO coordinator Kim Harpe said the planners passed resolutions in 2007 in support of county seat connectors and do have a history with larger projects.

“Since the inception, they’ve gone with corridor development,” she said.

Jeanne Stevens, TDOT’s director of long-range planning, agreed.

“While it may not be exactly what the technical committee recommended, it is consistent with previous RPO actions,” she said.

Marion County Highway Supervisor John Graham, a member of the technical committee, said he was surprised at the executive board’s vote.

“They have every right to do that,” he said. “But it is highly unusual that a No. 1 priority would drop to No. 6.”