Several bridges and their conditions were discussed last week by Warren County commissioners.
The county Highway and Bridge Committee discussed bridges on Northcutts Cove Road, Bluff Springs Road, Old Shelbyville Road, and Hennessee Bridge Road during last week’s meeting.
“Is the bridge on Northcutts Cove going to be looked at some time in the future?” asked Commissioner Randy England.
“Yes,” said Glenn. “We have to get the bridge on Old Shelbyville Road going.”
The bridge on Old Shelbyville Road was determined to be the most critical bridge needing to be replaced in the county. Negotiations have been ongoing with landowners for approximately four years. Warren County approved a measure in April 2016 to take the property by eminent domain if negotiations continue to be unsuccessful.
“We’re getting closer,” said Glenn of the land negotiations. “We’re still working on it, but we are getting there. It’s getting closer to proceeding.”
Commissioner Blaine Wilcher asked about the bridge on Bluff Springs Road.
“I had a lady in my district ask me about the bridge on Bluff Springs Road,” he said. “She took pictures of it. It looks pretty bad, as far as the surface of it. I told her I would ask about it. Could we get a study done of the traffic?”
The county’s bridges, 99 in all, are inspected by TDOT every year, but a traffic count could be possible.
“I think I can get a counter, maybe,” said Glenn. “I’ll definitely look into that. I’ve really been trying to push the Shelbyville Road bridge.”
The state’s project on Hennessee Bridge Road was also discussed.
“I don’t know much about that,” said Glenn. “It’s a state project and state funded and state bid. We have no control over that. Someone asked me about that bridge and I told them it’s not my decision. That’s a state route.”
England asked about another state decision – placement of rumble strips on Harrison Ferry Mountain, a state highway – to which Glenn replied he hadn’t heard anything.
“I don’t know where to turn on that,” said England.
Glenn added, “That’s up to TDOT.”
Rumble strips are grooves in the roadway that, as the tires of a vehicle contact them, produce sound and vibration to alert the driver. A wakeup call was needed on March 17, 2015 when a sleeping motorist left the roadway and struck the guy wire on a DTC Wireless tower and toppled a 300-foot communications tower and took out cellphone service to residents in the area.