T-DOT Acquiring Land From Cumberland Near Obed

T-DOT is acquiring a small strip of land from Cumberland County next to Obed River Park and the nearby bridge on Highway 70N.

County Mayor Allen Foster said they will have to rebuild a section of Obed River Park’s fence to account for the new property lines. Foster said T-DOT is paying the county $36,000 for the fencing work.

“It’s overall, it’s probably a fair deal for everybody,” Foster said. “They’re going to give us enough to move the fence, the fence line will be good and clean, and we’ll have a new section of fencing in that area. And, you know, it shouldn’t impact anybody in any way other than whatever they have to do while they do the bridge work.”

Foster said T-DOT approached the county with the plan because they need the extra space to work on the segment of the highway that is also a bridge over the Obed River. He said the payment amount was determined after a negotiation process between the county and TDOT’s property adjusters.

“Highway 70 is a state road already and they own the bridge,” Foster said. “It’s just that they need a little more land with it and with the work and all that.”

The county commission approved the deal during their last meeting on May 20. Foster said T-DOT is also doing a lot of work on Highway 127 between Crossville and Fentress County.

“They’re making a two lane road, a you know, four or five line, you know, two lanes with a turn lane part of it, all that, all the way up,” Foster said. “So it’s affecting property owners all the way and TDOT just has adjusters or whatever you want to call them that goes out and negotiates with the property owners.”