News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Cummins Falls State Park has a new project in the works that would provide safe and easy access to overlook the falls.
Project Manager Dawn Kupferer said the proposed project would create two handicap parking spaces connected to a paved walkway from the main entrance to a new viewing deck.
“Not everybody can go down into the gorge and go down to the waterfall,” Kupferer said. “So there has to be a way that less mobile people can get to this point, so they can see this beautiful waterfall and this is it.”
Kupferer said overall project would cost anywhere from $300,000 to $600,000. Kupferer said bids will go out April 6th aiming for a fall completion date.
“This is a pretty big project,” Kupferer said. “This promontory is going to counter-lever over the escarpment, and you’ll be able to kind of stand out there and see a full view of the falls. That’s something you haven’t had in the past, because all you had was a little wood railing that you could lean out and see a portion of the falls.”
Kupferer said the project runs through the state to be paid by federal money. Kupferer said multiple entities are involved including Friends of Cummins Falls, TDEC and the Federal Highway Administration.
“There is a lot of departments in TDEC that have to be involved for safety concerns and for making sure we meet all federal guidelines,” Kupferer said. “You’ll be surprised how many different moving parts there are. We’re trying to get it to this point, so we can get this thing built, and I hope we’ll have a lot of good bidders.”
Kupferer said the handicap accessible observation platform would be built with steel and concrete. Kupferer said as for the parking, a portion of the existing parking lot would be repurposed for the handicap spaces. The trail would be about 500 feet long.
