Overton Set To Start Hwy 42 Bridge Repairs

The Highway 42 bridge in Overton County will undergo renovations beginning next week.

The bridge project will cost about $1.6 million. Overton County Exectutive Ben Danner said the bridge will be completely replaced and be closed for eight months.

“James Norrod, our Highway superintendent, has been working for about five years to try and find funding to do that,” Danner said. “So basically, the only thing that will cost the county is whatever money it cost us in interest to borrow the money then pay it back. It is all state and federal reimbursement. For a $2 million bridge, we probably will not be out more than $20,000.”

Danner said after the repairs, the bridge should have a 75 year life. Danner said traffic should not be an issue while the bridge is closed.

“It is not going to be as a big of a problem as it would have been in the past,” Danner said. “If we did not have Highway 111 and all that traffic going to Cookeville, that would have been a major ordeal. That is probablt why they waited so long to try and fix the bridge. There will be some traffic, but there are still several ways to get around.”

Danner said industrial workers from Rickman will be affected the most from the bridge closure.

The High Priority Bridge Replacement Program (HPBRP) will make the project possible for Overton County. HPBRP provides funding for priority bridges not located on state roads. Twin-K Construction was the lowest bidder for the bridge project. Danner said the original estimated cost was $2.2 million.

Danner said the bridge on HWY 42 is the oldest bridge in the county. The bridge stands at 60 feet tall and is near City Lake. HWY 42 is the was originally a state road, but Tennessee gave the highway to Overton County after HWY 111 was built.