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Cookeville council adopts '39 Depot' master plan, OKs property acquisitions and infrastructure moves
Summary
The City Council approved the 39 Depot master plan, authorized property acquisition for street realignments, approved a nearly $2.0 million ladder truck purchase, and approved multiple infrastructure contracts and change orders tied to downtown circulation and utility projects.
Cookeville City Council on July 16 approved a master plan for the 39 Depot area and a series of related infrastructure and procurement items designed to reshape downtown circulation and public spaces.
The master plan, prepared by Ace Engineering, outlines a phased project including a new Broad Street alignment, a depot promenade linking north and south park areas, an oblong roundabout to improve traffic flow, expanded parking (a net gain of 38 spaces), plazas and programmed event areas, and pedestrian and bicycle connections. In the staff presentation, the consultant emphasized safety improvements tied to a negotiated new railroad crossing, multimodal access and design compatibility with the historic depot and surrounding Broad Street buildings.
Public comment raised questions about trail routing, bike-lane connections, and the fate of an existing restroom that was built with grant funds; staff said the existing restroom would be demolished and a new facility constructed as part of the project and that bike lanes and trail connections have been considered in the design and will be refined in subsequent engineering phases.
Council also approved a resolution authorizing the city manager to acquire property by donation, negotiation or, if necessary, eminent domain, for the realignments needed to implement the plan; council discussed funding and next steps and approved the resolution. The procurement docket that followed included: - Approval to order a Pierce Enforcer 107-foot ladder truck for the fire department at $1,999,998 (through cooperative purchasing), presented by the fire chief. The purchase was budgeted and approved by the council. - Authorization for a five-year contract with Motorola Solutions for a Smart Connect feature for portable radios, at $12,240 per year (budgeted item). - Agreement with TVA to relocate a transmission lattice structure at South Jefferson Avenue (estimated TVA project cost $789,187, with a state allocation of $750,000 leaving an estimated local share of about $9,187). Council discussed the traffic-safety benefits of moving the structure and approved the agreement. - Several construction change orders and final contract adjustments including a deduct for a playground piping project and a change order to add drilling and traffic-control days for an interstate drive roadway settlement repair project (additional $76,800 bringing that contract to approximately $396,000).
Why it matters: The master plan sets a multi-year framework for downtown circulation, public space, and potential economic development sites. The property acquisition authorization gives the city authority to pursue right-of-way needed to implement realignment work; other approvals allocate budgeted funds for equipment and critical utility and roadway repairs.
Vote outcomes: The master plan motion carried; the acquisition resolution and the listed procurement and change-order items carried as noted in the record (majority votes recorded). Several council members and dozens of members of the public participated in the discussion and public-comment period. The city said the engineering and right-of-way work will move to detailed design and bidding phases next.
