Cookeville seeking a state partnership to address congestion at I-40 and South Jefferson Avenue through a new street improvement project.
Economic Development Coordinator Matt Billings told City Council Monday during a work session that the proposal involves submitting a resolution to T-DOT. The project aims to complete one of the final legs of a multi-year plan to upgrade all four intersections in the area.
“As of last year, we’re back up to this intersection being the highest daily traffic count, so I mean it looks like this probably makes the most sense to move forward with,” Billings said. “And SPP statewide partnership program kind of serves as a front door to get further buy-in from state and federal moneys.”
Billings said cities investing some portion of the cost are more likely to receive TDOT funding approval. City Manager James Mills said the South Jefferson Avenue project has been identified as a priority in the local ten-year transportation plan for several years. Mills said the city previously used this same state program to secure funding for turn lanes on South Willow Avenue.
“We identified years ago all four intersections being improved,” Mills said. “With what’s been done with the dual left turn going north on Jefferson and with the right turn on interstate drive and dual going east we will have completed if we get this three of the four legs of this project.”
Community Development Director Jon Ward said the city submitted the entire intersection to the state but identified this specific turning movement as the top priority.
The project is expected to be more complex than previous work on Willow Avenue due to the elevation of surrounding properties.
“We looked, we have several projects that we’d like to see done but Mary Beth (Elrod) and Jon (Ward) and I all met on this and we’ve had this project, the need for it identified for many many many years and if you drive south on Jefferson it backs all the way up to veterans at certain times,” Mills said. “There’s no guarantee we’ll get approved for this.”
