The City of Cookeville has officially completed Phase II of the East 10th Street Widening Project. With this milestone, East 10th Street has expanded from three to five lanes between Highway 111 and Fisk Road. All lanes are now fully open to traffic.
To mark the occasion, City Council members, city staff, and representatives from Rogers Group Inc. and Clinton Engineering and Surveying gathered today for a ceremonial construction tape-cutting event. The ceremony celebrated the transformation of one of Cookeville’s most important east-west corridors.
“It’s incredibly rewarding to see the culmination of the two decades of discussion, planning, and work that went into this project,” said City Manager James Mills. “We anticipate this major transportation enhancement will significantly improve traffic flows in the area.”
“Investing in infrastructure is an investment in the future of our community,” said Mayor Laurin Wheaton. “The completion of this street project reflects the outstanding work of our city departments and the invaluable contributions of our partners whose collaboration made this achievement possible.”
Phase II involved significant infrastructure upgrades, including the installation of new underground utilities such as stormwater drainage, sanitary sewer, and water systems. Crews also relocated overhead electric and telecommunications lines and constructed new ADA-compliant sidewalks to improve pedestrian accessibility.
Contractors from Rogers Group Inc. completed the final phase of work last week. The remaining tasks included pavement striping, crosswalk installation, yard restoration, and site cleanup.
The total project cost for Phase II was $8.78 million, which included right-of-way acquisitions, engineering, and construction.
“We’re grateful to the City Council for their visionary leadership throughout this project,” expressed Mills. “And to Rogers Group Inc. and Clinton Engineering and Surveying for helping our city bring this project to life.”
Wheaton added, “We extend our sincere gratitude to everyone involved, and to the citizens of Cookeville for their patience and support throughout the process.”
Engineering and design work is currently in progress for Phase III of the East 10th Street Widening Project. This final phase will expand the roadway to five lanes between Fisk Road and North Washington Avenue. The Cookeville City Council recently approved an approximately $520,000 contract with Clinton Engineering for design and engineering, which is now underway and anticipated to take approximately six to eight months to complete.
For additional information about ongoing and upcoming city projects, please visit cookeville-tn.gov.
Photo Caption:
City and project leaders participate in the East 10th Street ribbon cutting ceremony Monday, July 28, 2025, in Cookeville, Tenn.
From left to right: Carl Haney, director of Cookeville Energy Department; Rusty Norrod, Clinton Surveying; Carrie Simpson, Clinton Engineering; Joe Nichols, Clinton Engineering; Phil Staton, Clinton Engineering; Ali Bagci, Cookeville City Council; Luke Eldridge, Cookeville Vice Mayor; Chad Gilbert, Cookeville City Council; James Mills, Cookeville City Manager; Laurin Wheaton, Cookeville Mayor; Jacob Ramsaur, Public Works Engineering; Mary Beth Elrod, director of Public Works; Jon Niebel, Rogers Group; Will Odom, Rogers Group; Carter Watson, Rogers Group; Caleb Anderson, Rogers Group; Ed Nettenstrom, Rogers Group; Tommy Winningham, Public Works Traffic Division; Trent Jones, Public Works Traffic Division; and Justin Skinner, Public Works Traffic Division.