Officials see speeding in river a problem

By AMY SATTERWHITE / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard

DAVENPORT

City officials are still looking at ways to curb speeding in the Barren Fork River at Riverfront Park.

Although discussed in detail last year when city officials asked for state help with what they said are problems with excessive speeds there, no legislation has come through the state legislature yet, they said.

Last year, city officials looked to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency to draft legislation, which was said to be a requirement for state officials to enforce speed limits there.

Despite that legislation not being in place, Mayor Royce Davenport has suggested one way of curbing speeds would be enforcement of a “no wake” zone in the water parallel to the park’s property lines.

No vote was taken at a recent Parks and Recreation Committee meeting, but Davenport said he believes local laws can be passed and more signs be put in place to make local enforcement easier.

“My feeling is, we need to get the signs made and go ahead and put them up because we can enforce this under our own ordinances. We can go ahead an have an ordinance specific for that and then do it ourselves,” Davenport said. “If TWRA comes in and uses their officers, then they have to have state authorization, and that is not in place.”

He noted if no wake zone enforcement is pursued, officers would most likely wait for offenders to return to shore.