Madison County gets design update on Yandell Road widening; about 68 parcels may be affected

Madison County commissioners received a design update on planned improvements to Yandell Road on May 1, 2025, during a routine project briefing. Darian Warren, a Wagon Engineering representative, said the county is treating two segments—Highway 51 to Smithcar Road and Smithcar Road to North Old Canton Road—as one coordinated design and has completed preliminary surveys and drainage analyses.

The update outlined the project scope, which includes widening portions of the roadway to a five-lane typical section with a continuous center turn lane, replacement or widening of two bridges, and a closed drainage system with multiple new curb inlets and pipes. "We're approaching the design as it being one project," Warren said. He reported the design contract was executed in November 2024, about 30% of the combined project budget has been billed, and overall project progress is at about 36%.

Paul Foley, also with Wagon Engineering, said utility coordination has identified 12 utility providers with approximately 16 distinct assets in the corridor and that the team has received information and field markings from a majority of providers. "You can see that we have 12 utility providers that have been identified," Foley said. The firm said topographic survey work finished in February 2025 and utility survey work is ongoing; the utility survey with Bear Creek Water Association is pending receipt of as-built information.

Engineers presented results of a right-of-way parcel impact study broken into segments. They reported approximately 17 parcels potentially affected on the Highway 51 to Clarkdale Road segment, about 18 parcels for Clarkdale to Smithcar, roughly 21 parcels for Smithcar to Johnson Lane, and about 16 parcels from Johnson Lane to North Old Canton Road, for a total of about 68 "plus or minus" parcels that may be affected by the 100-foot proposed right-of-way. The team said Maps and Deeds work will begin to support any acquisitions.

The presentation included drainage work completed to date: development of drainage area maps, computer modeling, and sizing of pipes and curb inlets. Engineers identified eight potential logical outfalls for the proposed closed drainage system.

On scheduling, Wagon Engineering listed several milestones: a right-of-way analysis completed in December 2024, topographic survey completed in February 2025, conceptual roadway design projected for completion in June 2025, and utility coordination continuing into later design stages. The firm noted it plans a sit-down review of conceptual plans with county staff in May 2025 and said utility coordination is tentatively scheduled to complete by Q1 2026. No formal votes or approvals were taken at the meeting.

County staff also gave a brief update on a related, nearer-term project running from the school to the Dollar General store. A staff member said the right-of-way phase is underway and that offers have been made; the project is estimated at about $2.5 million and could have a roughly nine-month construction window. "It's about a two and a half million dollar project, so it could be nine months," the staff member said. That project will include a signal at Clarkdale and Yandell and staff said coordination with Wagon Engineering and the city will continue.

Project team members emphasized continued coordination with utility providers throughout design and during the transition from preliminary to final engineering. Engineers said they plan to keep utility providers engaged and that some utility relocations or adjustments will be necessary as the design advances.