Clarksville, Tennessee (now Clarksville) – If you’ve driven Loews Drive recently, you’ve probably noticed potholes along the road. Although some appear to have been repaired over the years, it is still full of rough patches and appears to be below road standards.
However, since it is a private road, not a public road, the owner is responsible for maintenance and management. Clarksville Now spoke with several businesses along the road to see how potholes have affected them and what they can do to fix the problem.
Who is responsible for Lowes Drive?
The driveway is owned by Lowes Home Centers Inc., Kroger LTD Partnership and Anchor Group Corp., according to the City of Clarksville.
The holes vary in size along the road, some as wide as a tire, others as wide as 2-3 feet. Some are quite deep, ranging from about 1 inch to nearly 5 inches. Also, there are places where the road lines are so thin that you can’t see them.
Nonetheless, Lauren Bell of the Kroger Nashville Division told Clarksville Now that the company has not received any complaints from drivers and has no plans to restore the road in the near future.
“There are no pothole complaints on Loews Drive that I am aware of. Repairing the road is the responsibility of all three owners and all three must work together to initiate and complete the work.” there is,” she said. “I have checked with the property team and they are not aware of immediate plans to work on the road, but again, it will be a coordinated effort with all three owners. I guess.”
Clarksville Now has reached out to Lowes Management and Anchor Group Corp. for comment.
There are several other businesses in the works, but we do not share ownership. One of his larger businesses is Jenkins & Wynne Ford. Larry Schulz, general sales manager for Jenkins & Wynne, said he had contacted the city about the issue.
“It’s definitely not the smoothest road in town,” Schulz told Clarksville Now. “They (the city) said they would not take over as city roads until the roads were brought up to sidewalk (and) light standards.”
City asks for repair
The city has taken action earlier to fill the void. According to the Leaf Chronicle archives, in July 2017, the City of Clarksville’s Department of Buildings and Code sent a notice of violation to the owner for a hole in Loews Drive.
When contacted by Clarksville Now this week, Mayor Joe Pitts said the city was taking action again.
Mayor Joe Pitts said Friday, “We have been in contact with the private property owners and have requested to receive from them an action plan to restore the Loews Drive dent.
“This road is technically a private road and the city only has the power to claim ownership if it cannot keep the road in good condition. Diplomacy has always been our first course of action. And David Smith, director of building codes, is doing just that by working with property owners to fix it. Just quoting,” Pitts said.
