With state and local officials hoping to put more money into the Highway 127 expansion through Cumberland and Fentress Counties, the region might turn its attention to another project to drive economic development.
Just as a four-lane road between I-40 and Jamestown will open up new opportunities, some local leaders believe a widened corridor between Celina, Gainesboro, and Baxter could be an important project for the region’s future.
T-DOT Commission Butch Eley said these “big picture” projects take time to put together, but could be an important focus of rural transportation dollars.
“The dollars that we’re able to leverage from public/private partnerships and invest those dollars in the rural areas,” Eley said. “So we’re looking at projects throughout the state. And we’ll certainly be looking at the project as we move forward.”
Eley said this exploration will be expedited through the passage of the Transportation Modernization Act. He said an additional revenue source coming from choice lanes will help free up funds focused on more urban areas.
Eley said there are a lot of transportation needs in a lot of areas throughout the state. He said T-DOT has seen some pent up demand to address projects.
“So I’m not going to say it’s exactly what we will do,” Eley said. “But we certainly will continue to look at that opportunity to see what we can do to move all of these forward.”
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