Highway staff report large cleanup of bridges, culverts after floods; CSX to replace crushed pipe

Sumner County highway staff told the Highway Committee March 3 they have been cleaning debris from more than 500 bridges and maintaining roughly 800 miles of county roadway after recent floods and snow, and that some drainage work will require coordination with railroad and state agencies.

“All I had on here was, you know, we had some things happen in the last month. We've had floods,” the county road superintendent (name not specified) told the committee, adding, “We've got over 500 bridges, and we're in the process of cleaning out debris for all the bridges to make sure that there's maximum flow and checking the ditches and culverts and making sure everything's unstopped.”

The superintendent said crews cleaned roads and prepared them ahead of a snow event and are now in repair mode where paving is deferred until weather allows. He said crews are repairing undercut road sections, installing new culverts and widening roads where feasible.

Committee members asked about high‑water signage and drainage problems tied to railroad infrastructure. After reporting that signs had been reset, the superintendent said a drainage pipe under a CSX track on Gallatin Road had been “totally crushed” and that he had contacted the railroad. “The pipe's already been ordered and as soon as they get it, they're gonna replace it,” he said.

The superintendent said the county coordinates with state and city agencies during events. “When we talk to each other weekly. Especially if there's an event like that, we talk to each other hourly ... If we see anything, I contact them and let them know, and plus the city as well,” he said, referring to TDOT and local cities.

On citizen reporting, the superintendent said the pothole reporting system is mainly phone‑based: “It's mainly through phone calls, and they do a good job doing that. They've got my email address. They got my cell phone number. The number for the office.”

He proposed creating a dedicated storm/ditch crew for future events: “Something that I see going into the future is, probably adding a storm and ditch special special crew ... A 4 man crew that helps with that,” to avoid diverting staff from other projects during emergencies.

Committee members praised the highway department’s response: one commissioner said county roads were cleared before many state roads. No formal action was taken at the meeting on staffing or budget changes; the proposals were presented for future consideration.

What happens next: The county will continue cleanup and repairs; the CSX pipe replacement is pending the railroad’s schedule. Staff flagged the idea of a dedicated storm/ditch crew for future budget discussions.