T-DOT representatives held a public meeting Monday night to address concerns surrounding the upcoming closure of State Route 53 for a culvert replacement project.
The proposed project take about two months, beginning next Wednesday. T-DOT Engineer Bo Hoskins said the project will include a narrow haul road during the closure. Hoskins said the haul road is only for emergency vehicles, as T-DOT has very little right-of-way in the area.
“We cannot build this to a safe standard to actually allow motorists on it,” Hoskins said. “So it will not meet design standards for somebody to drive across it. It is truly almost like a driveway.”
Hoskins said acquiring the rights of way to build an alternative road and avoid detours would have delayed a project that urgently needs completion by one to two years. He said in some sections, the road has caved in from the shoulder to the white line due to damaged culverts.
“It’s about managing the risk,” Hoskins said. “So we really want to manage that risk instead of it managing us. If the road collapses, we don’t have a timeframe on how long it would be closed. We put the contract in place as fast as we could.”
The closure is around near Hurricane Branch Lane. T-DOT’s suggested detour would send travelers along SR-85 and SR-52 through Livingston to reach either side of the closure.
T-DOT Region Two Director of Operations Adam Casteel said the department is only allowed to assign detours to other state roads. He added that side roads can be used to get around the closure more quickly and that the longer detour would primarily affect large commercial vehicles.
Jackson County Mayor Jim Morgan said although the closure is not ideal, it is preferable to the likely alternative.
“It’s not a good thing that this is gonna happen, but if they close the road down, we may be down for a year,” Morgan said. “50 days doesn’t seem bad after what you may end up with if it collapses completely.”
Hoskins said the haul road will be padlocked and advised the public to obey posted boundaries and avoid using it.
“If it gets where somebody decides to cut the lock off or go through there, the contractor will be forced to close that,” Hoskins said. “So y’all please do not try to access this haul road. It’s imperative for liability from the contractor. And it’s their job once the contractor has something under contract, it’s their job site. They control it, so y’all please do not try to use that, and please spread that word.”
T-DOT Region Two Representative Josh Neal said the department discovered the severely damaged culverts after a heavy rainstorm last year. Neal said crews will install large, U-shaped concrete culverts to improve stormwater drainage. He said prep work has already begun for crews to move in and start the project.
“If you’ve driven through there, we’ve had Twin Lakes has moved a pole and some lines, and the contractor’s been in there clearing, cutting some trees, just doing some prep work,” Neal said. “We’ve been putting in some silt fence, things of that nature, just getting everything ready. They’ve been surveying, putting out some stakes. So that’s what you’re seeing out there in the field right now. Over the next week or so, you’ll start seeing some signs go up, which will be our posted detour and our detour.”
Morgan said an estimated 3,000 vehicles use SR-53 daily. He said the closure will impact Clay County just as much as Jackson County. Jackson County Commissioners had expressed concerns about the closures late lat year.