The work to widen Cookeville’s 10th Street from Old Kentucky Road to Fisk Road is currently six months ahead of schedule.
Public Works Director Mary Beth Elrod said the project’s contract end date is in late November but work could be done as early as this summer. Elrod said finishing early would save money and allow citizens to get back on the wider and safer road that much sooner.
“We have been lucky,” Elrod said. “We did have a mild winter. We didn’t have too much rain, too much snow, too much bad weather, so they have been able to work most of the time without much weather delays and we’ve also just been able to get everyone coordinated, utilities moved fairly quickly.”
Elrod said all of the substantial work on the north side of the road is completely done. Elrod said the contractor is currently doing concrete work on the curbing, entrance aprons, and sidewalks on the south side of the street.
“All of the utilities are already done on the south side, so after they complete all of the concrete work they then plan about the second week in April to start paving and doing the new pavement along the entire stretch of the project,” Elrod said.
Elrod said finishing early would help the city monitor the changes for any issues that need to be adjusted. Elrod said the early completion is only a preliminary estimation but all things point to work finishing this summer.
“We’re hopeful that there won’t be any (adjustments) so we would definitely end at least two to three months ahead of schedule with all those final touch-ups and adjustments,” Elrod said.
Elrod said all of the substantial work on the north side of the road is completely done. Elrod said the contractor is currently doing concrete work on the curbing, entrance aprons, and sidewalks on the south side of the street.
“All of the utilities are already done on the south side, so after they complete all of the concrete work they then plan about the second week in April to start paving and doing the new pavement along the entire stretch of the project,” Elrod said.
Elrod said the city hopes the paving will be done by the end of April. Elrod said the next step is to clean up both sides of the road by top soiling and getting grass growing on any bare dirt.
“By the end of May, it will look like a completed roadway and where we’re just looking for any kind of use issues, waiting on grass to grow, and then just checking and make sure that all the traffic flowing on the newly widened roadway flows correctly,” Elrod said.
