News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Twenty-seven T-DOT paving projects in the Upper Cumberland have been approved and prioritized for 2021.
Region 2 Community Relations Officer Jennifer Flynn said T-DOT pavement managers are strategic in their priority selection.
“The purpose is to preserve our transportation system while maximizing our dollars,” Flynn said. “So that’s what our pavement managers do, they look at all these things, they inventory the routes and determine when the best time to do some type of treatment.”
Flynn said T-DOT resurfaces interstates approximately every 8 years and state routes every 12 years. Several pavement projects along Interstate 40 and Highway 111 are part of this year’s priorities.
Flynn said it’s important to communicate with communities when the best time would be for a state project.
“We’re all trying to do the best we can and make sure we don’t have any conflicts and make sure if they have any special requests for their pavement markings,” Flynn said. “If they’re trying to revitalize the downtown area and we could put bike lanes and stuff like that. That’s something we could possibly accommodate when we do the resurfacing. We want to work together and get the best results for everyone.”
Repaving on sections of I-40 will begin in February 2021, according to the priority list.
Six projects in Putnam County; three in Pickett, Warren, White, and Cumberland Counties each; two in Dekalb, Clay, and Overton Counties each; and one in Jackson County made it to the TDOT Resurfacing Priority list.
