News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Cookeville City Council will vote Thursday night to take the next steps in traffic improvements to the West Jackson Street/Willow Avenue intersection.
Council expected to approve the process for acquiring land rights for additional dedicated turn lanes. City Manager James Mills said the city has been trying to get this project done for several years.
“We believe this will have a big impact on traffic there,” Mills said. “And also note that we did, several years ago, get the donation of quite a bit of right-of-way off of Jackson to put the dedicated turn lane in there.”
The ordinance authorizes the city to acquire the property by donation, negotiation, or eminent domain if needed. Community Development Director Jon Ward said the project was initially approved as an STBG project and the state agreed to pay Cookeville’s 20 percent match because the work is primarily on a state route.
“Some of this right-of-way will be for Willow Avenue, which is a state route, but some is also on West Jackson Street,” Ward said. “And since this is a locally-managed project, the city will be obtaining the right-of-way.”
Ward said that the project will likely cost more than what has been budgeted for it. He said it has been approved for the Statewide Partnership Program which should supply additional funding to balance out any shortfalls.
“The firm’s already started their process with right-of-way acquisition with the properties,” Ward said.
