Ongoing Project May Effect Willow, 12th Street Proposal

An ongoing sidewalk project in Cookeville may determine whether a proposal for sidewalk along North Willow Avenue and West 12th Street is approved.

Planning Director James Mills said TDOT officials told the city despite having an ongoing project, Cookeville is still eligible to receive funding for a new one.

“We were approved for a similar grant from TDOT in 2014 to install sidewalks along East Spring Street,” Mills said. “Here it is 2018, and that project is still not under construction. They’re just now in right-of-way.”

The new project would consist of two phases installing sidewalk along the east side of North Willow and the north side of West 12th near Tennessee Tech’s campus.

Mills said if the East Spring Street project is any indication, the North Willow and 12th Street proposal may take a while if approved by TDOT.

“This is not a quick turnaround type of project,” Mills said. “Assuming we’re approved for funding from TDOT, it would be several years before the project is actually under construction.”

Despite the wait, Mills said work is still being done behind the scenes on the Spring Street project before construction begins.

“There’s been quite a bit of preliminary work done in engineering and I think they’re finalizing right-of-way acquisition now,” Mills said. “Hopefully, if not late this fall, then early next spring we expect the project to be under construction.”

The North Willow and West 12th proposal was approved by Cookeville City Council Thursday and was submitted to the state Friday.