Baxter will need to move a waterline to accommodate Putnam County’s project on Elmore Town Road.
City Engineer Tom Bennett said the county will be lowering the portion of the road that goes under I-40.
“There’s not a good place to put it, so it’s probably gonna be 500-600 feet of duct line potentially,” Bennett said. “We are not quite sure yet where it’s gonna go, but we are probably getting to the point where it may be outside what the city could perform.”
Bennett said the bad news was that the city would be responsible for paying to relocate the waterline. Baxter Mayor Danny Holmes said he would have a conversation with Putnam County Road Supervisor Randy Jones to try and get some help with the project.
Bennett also said he believes the project would not be too costly.
“It’s a small project,” Bennett said. “I mean, it’s probably 500-600 feet, so I don’t think we are talking about a massive amount of money. I mean, depending on where you put it, it may be ductile. Some material costs could be a bit, but I don’t know. You know, that is famous last words when you put a project like that out for bid. It’s whatever someone is willing to bid on it.”
The aldermen asked if there is grant funding available to cover the project costs. Bennette said typically, there is not.
“Let’s use the example of T-DOT, when you occupy utilities within their right of way, if they don’t provide some grant money under chapter 86 funding, then they tell you to move it and you move it,” Bennett said. “And let’s assume for a minute it’s the same case with the county. I can’t really speak to that, but that’s typically what happens. You are occupying your facilities in their right-of-way, so they need to be moved to accommodate that relocation.”
The county is currently awaiting a permit from T-DOT before it can advance on the Elmore Town Road Project.
