News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Cumberland County will move forward with TDOT in expanding Highway 127.
County commissioners approved a contract proposal Monday evening agreeing to the project proposal.
County Mayor Allen Foster said the highway expansion will help promote industrial development in the region.
“I think it will be a great benefit for Cumberland and Fentress counties, especially if TDOT will do the four lanes all the way up to at least Highway 62 in Fentress County,” Foster said. “That opens up an industrial park, where people of Fentress County and northern Cumberland County can hopefully get industry in there for work. It opens up I-40 and Cumberland County to the people of Fentress County who may want to shop and do other things in our county.”
Governor Bill Lee and TDOT Commissioner Clay Bright listed the Highway 127 project in the state’s annual three-year report last month. Officials expect to begin construction on the project in 2021.
“When it gets done, it will be a nice, easy, clean route for people of Fentress County to travel south right into Cumberland County and right into Crossville,” Foster said. “It will be a much safer road as well.”
Previous estimates indicate the 5.5 mile project will cost approximately $78 million to complete.
