HWY 70 PROJECT SLOWED FOR NOW

HWY 70 PROJECT SLOWED FOR NOW

A $6 million state department of transportation rock mitigation project in South Carthage is expected to be delayed. The project includes removing loose rock and vegetation from the bluff located on Highway 70 at the end of the Cordell Hull Bridge. Based on talks with state transportation officials, some county officials had anticipated the project beginning as early as this fall. Construction on the rock mitigation project is “tentatively set to begin in 2021, according to the state transportation endearment’s public information office.

While the project is needed for safety issues, it raises some significant concerns. It will mean closing Highway 70 while much of the construction is taking place, leading to lengthy delays for motorists. Detour routes during the construction phase will vary for motorists. Much of the traffic will be diverted to county roads, some single lane. Because of the delay, local officials fear a significant number of residents west of the project will divert their shopping trips from Carthage to Lebanon or make fewer trips into Carthage.

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