TDOT Project Requires Cookeville to Move Gas Lines

A potential TDOT project at the intersection of Burgess Falls and West Cemetery Roads in Cookeville will require the city to move gas lines in that area.

Gas Department Director Jeff Mills said TDOT will open bidding for the project beginning June 2019.

“We are going to be required by TDOT to relocate our facilities within that project,” Mills said. “We’re looking to acquire the services of CTI engineers to engineer those relocations for us, prepare some spec documents, and facilitate the inspection process as this goes on.”

Mills said the project could make an already busy intersection busier once the project starts.

“When TDOT gets started on their project, of course, I’m sure they’ll do a lot of media to let people know that construction is going on,” Mills said. “But that is a busy intersection now and it will get much busier before the process is over with.”

Cookeville City Council will consider a motion Thursday allowing City Manager Mike Davidson to enter into an engineering agreement to begin the process.

If approved, Mills said customers in that area shouldn’t see any disruption in gas service.

“We’ll do bypasses and keep everything running in order to keep the gas flowing as that process is being contributed,” Mills said.

Mills said if approved by Council, work will not begin on the gas lines until late 2019 with their portion of the project taking approximately four weeks