The Tennesee Department of Transportation has named a construction start date to widen Highway 127 in Cumberland and Fentress Counties.
Governor Bill Lee and TDOT Commissioner Clay Bright listed the project in their annual three-year report with construction anticipated for 2021.
Fentress County Executive Jimmy Johnson said the county has anticipated the project for several years.
“It’s just a great investment by the state. It’s been a long time coming, Johnson said. “For years and years, they’ve been trying to get something accomplished from the interstate into Fentress County, and what do you know it’s finally going to come. There have been really high expectations of course… When they start turning dirt, it’s a good sign.”
The project will widen the roadway from Lowe Road in Cumberland County to just north of State Route 62 near Clarkrange in Fentress County.
Johnson said the project will help promote industrial development in the area.
“It’ll have a huge impact especially for folks in the trucking business or logging business just having to go back and forth,” Johnson said. “When they get it completed hopefully here in a few years it’ll cut your time and travel down.”
Johnson also noted that the expanded roadway would give drivers an alternate route in the event of an accident along I-40.
