News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Willow Avenue’s drainage issues are likely to continue well into the future due to its positioning in Cookeville and its developed state.
Cookeville Public Works Director Mary Beth Elrod said Willow is actually a state route managed by T-DOT. But most of the drainage systems cannot be adjusted because they are privately owned.
“A lot of the water from Willow, a portion of the water from Tennessee Tech, and all of that portion of town, Jackson Shopping Center, it all comes down into the large drainage ditch we see at Jackson and Willow,” Elrod said.
Elrod said Willow’s drainage is part of a huge system that goes to Ensor Sink, which can overflow and become unable to take more water in heavy storms.
Elrod said the city has been coordinating the stormwater management of all new developments and redevelopments on Willow Avenue for about 25 years to control the problem. Elrod said the issue now is that most of Willow Avenue has been developed, meaning there are few opportunities where the city can try to address it.
“Those projects cannot increase the flow of stormwater with their redevelopment,” Elrod said. “So if it was a grass field before that used to soak up and take a lot of water, any commercial development that gets built and paves the whole grass area has to build a pond and build infrastructure to not change the flow of water from their site any more than what that grass field would have been doing.”
Elrod said it is important to remember that it is always worth it to be cautious and avoid driving through flooded areas instead of risking the lives of citizens and first responders.
“It can wait,” Elrod said. “You can be late somewhere. Just turn around. Don’t get in the water. Do not cross it.”
Elrod said T-DOT is working on adding an additional lane to Willow Avenue from Broad Street to 12th Street that will attempt to work on some of the issues.
“We do hope and we know that T-DOT is working on the drainage of that portion of Willow Avenue, but that does not extend all the way down to Jackson, unfortunately,” Elrod said.
Elrod said she has lived in the area for her whole life and this portion of the city has always had issues with drainage.
