A Cookeville Public Works project will intermittently close a portion of Seventh Street for the remainder of the semester and throughout the summer.
“The city has been asked by the hospital to expand the road and to make a turning lane,” said Carey Vaughn, Cookeville Water and Sewer Department civil engineer.
The widening of Seventh Street will start at the intersection with Peachtree Avenue and end at the intersection with Laurel Avenue, which is a block west of Willow Avenue.
According to Vaughn, before the turn lane can be added, the Water Department has been asked to move water meters and to replace any services, sewer and water, in the road. In addition to the turn lane, the city also plans to replace the storm drains.
“We are basically out there moving fire hydrants, and replacing all of the water meters and water services from the water line in the middle of the road,” Vaughn said. “A lot of those lines were old; I think the sewer lines were installed in the ‘60s.”
Vaughn said the department also plans to use a camera to examine the lines and see if they need to be replaced or repaired.
The Water Department expects to be completed with its portion of the construction by the end of Tech’s spring break.
“Once we get through moving any utilities that need to be done, the city is going to come in and widen a portion of the road starting from Medical Center Boulevard,” Vaughn said. “They are supposed to be starting with a new curb and gutter, and sidewalk. They told us two to three weeks, so we are trying to stay ahead of them.
“As far as the overall work, I think they are waiting to get the curb and sidewalk work done, and they are actually waiting until Tech is done for the summer, in May, before they do the majority of their road work.”
Seventh Street is expected to have sporadic lane closures for the remainder of the semester due to the construction.
“There is probably going to be days where there is a lane closed on and off for the majority of this semester,” Vaughn said. “Hopefully when students return in the fall, it will all be fixed.”
