News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Cookeville received TDOT approval on the initial review for its gateway project partnership with Tech.
Planning Director Jon Ward said that TDOT approved both proposed locations along Willow Avenue and that they will continue with the next steps.
“After receiving initial approval for the project, you move into final review requirements where we will have to provide engineered drawings for the monument,” Ward said. “And one of the requirements of the second and final stage is that council provide a resolution in support of the project.”
Ward said that TDOT also recommended the city adopt “Home of Tennessee Tech” as an official slogan to help the project meet final review requirements. He said that they plan to engage with Upland Design in the next steps. He said that they provided the original renderings for the project.
“One thing too that was provided to me in feedback is that Tech’s logo will not be allowed on the signage,” Ward said. “They’re pretty strict about what they will allow and disallow on these, and from the initial approval they said that they couldn’t provide their logo on the gateway monument.”
City Manager James Mills said that this process is the result of many conversations with Tennessee Tech, who brought the idea before the council several months ago.
