Cookeville officials met with Senator Marsha Blackburn to request support in having a TVA transmission tower at the intersection of Neal Street and South Jefferson Avenue moved.
City Manager James Mills said Blackburn was receptive to helping the city resolve the issue. He said the location of the tower makes eastbound turns onto Neal Street challenging for tractor-trailers. He said the price tag of some $750,000 has kept the project at a standstill, but he hopes Blackburn can help speed things up.
“We think the Senator understands the need for this,” Mills said. “And we’re encouraged that she’s willing to speak with TVA and hopefully have some influence there to get TVA to provide some assistance to us in terms of the cost of relocating the tower.”
Mills said the city also has plans for major improvement projects at the intersection like additional lanes to ease traffic flow. He said that project is impossible without the tower being moved at least a few feet south.
“Hopefully, since that’s one of the busiest intersections in the city, hopefully, improve traffic flows there,” Mills said. “But moving the tower, the transmission tower, is required to be able to do any of those things.”
He said he believes moving the tower would be beneficial for TVA as well. He said should a vehicle strike the tower, major transmission issues would follow. He said multiple tractor-trailers have gotten stuck trying to make the turn.
“If you’re familiar with that intersection, it becomes frequently snarled with traffic,” Mills said.
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