News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Utility work underway, the first stage in widening the next stretch of Cookeville’s 10th Street.
In this phase, workers will convert the road to two lanes in each direction with a center-turn lane, from Old Kentucky Road to Fisk Road. Public Works Director Mary Beth Elrod said crews are relocating underground utilities, such as sanitary sewer, storm sewer and water.
“It is all mainly on the north side of 10th street currently, that is where the contractor is focusing work,” Elrod said. “So the contractor is doing a partial lane closure and shift on the north side of 10th street. And all the work currently is taking place on the north side. They have done a few water line bores going to the south side, but most of it’s focused on the north side currently.”
Upper Cumberland Electric began work last week to move overhead utility lines. Residential yards have been flagged by Rogers Group to mark the new roadway. Elrod said the roadwork will cause some delays, but they are working with contractors to limit the full road closures.
“We are fortunate that this is a three-lane roadway and so we can shut one lane and still keep two lanes of traffic open,” Elrod said. “In the future if we do expect a full roadway closure, we’ve talked with the contractor and we hope to do those overnight when the conditions allow us to do overnight closures.”
The 18-month project will extend the work done when the Food City center opened. City officials said the widening had long been a priority before the new shopping complex.
“We just ask for the public to give us patience and we hope to improve this roadway to help with future traffic flow in the area,” Elrod said.
City Manager James Mills has repeatedly said the city needs to figure out how to expand 10th Street roadway all the way to Washington Avenue. But the existing commercial corridor in that area would make that more challenging.
