Cookeville officials are negotiating with TDOT to replace the curbing along Jefferson Avenue as part of an upcoming summer resurfacing project.
Cookeville City Manager James Mills said the city is working with the state to address the deteriorating infrastructure between Stevens Street and the square. Mills said the current curbing is broken and unattractive, making it a priority to fix while the road is already being milled and repaved.
“And it just really makes sense, if we’re going to repave a street that we’ve been waiting nearly 20 years for that we don’t, we go ahead and try to fix the curb,” Mills said. “We’ll participate if we need to, but it just looks bad, so we’ve asked them to do that.”
Mills said the resurfacing work is expected to take place during June and July. Mills said the project will cover the stretch of Jefferson Avenue from the Interstate to the square.
“So it’ll be probably June, July they’ll be resurfacing all the way,” Mills said, “So they’ll mill it all to begin with then resurface.”
Mills said the project includes a restriping plan designed to improve traffic flow and capacity. Mills said the state will add dual northbound left-turn lanes to better accommodate drivers turning from the Interstate onto Interstate Drive.