Two Phases of Proposed Highway 56 Improvement Project Scheduled for March Bid Letting

January 7, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

Two phases of the proposed Highway 56 improvement project are still scheduled for a March bid letting.

The Tennessee Department of Transportation proposes to let bids for two of the phases from south of the Warren County line to near Magness Road (3.3 miles) and from south of State Route 288 near Magness Road to East Bryant Street in Smithville (5 miles). The third segment from near State Route 287 in Warren County to near the DeKalb County Line is not yet ready for bid letting.

The project had been scheduled for the bid letting December 7, 2018 but was delayed.

“TDOT plans on letting both projects at the same time. The projects are currently scheduled to be included in the March 2019 letting. The projects had to undergo a NEPA (environmental) reevaluation because additional Native American coordination was required. TDOT is in the final stages of the reevaluation of the environmental document, which must be approved before the project can be let to construction,” said Jennifer Flynn, Community Relations Officer for the Tennessee Department of Transportation in an email message to WJLE today (Monday).

The state plans to build largely two lanes of a proposed four lane project and maintain traffic on the existing Highway 56 (alignment) while construction is being done on the new portion.

“On the southern part from the DeKalb County line up to Vaughn Lane, its going to be a two lane roadway. There will be left turn lanes at the side roads. As we get closer to Smithville where some of the intersecting roads are offset there will be some extended sections of three lanes. Once we get to Vaughn Lane we will be expanding to the three lane typical all the way up to just past Morgan Branch. When we get past Morgan Branch we will be building a five lane section with curb and gutters and sidewalks,” said Robert Rodgers of the TDOT Region 2 Project Development Office.

According to Rodgers, the state will deviate from the existing road in the Shiney Rock area in order to bypass the cemeteries. The highway will then tie back in to the existing alignment in Smithville.

“Where the church and the cemetery are now, we are going off alignment because there was not room to fit the proposed finished road in between the two. Traffic on that section will stay on the existing road until the new road is complete,” said Rodgers.

The proposed cross sections for the project are as follows:

*From south of State Route 287 to north of Bessie Gribble Road-two 12-foot travel lanes with a 12-foot continuous center turn lane, four-foot shoulders and ditches.

* From north of Bessie Gribble Road to Vaughn Lane-two 12-foot travel lanes with 12-foot shoulders and ditches. There will be left turn lanes at intersecting roadways.

*From Vaughn Lane to north of Morgan Branch-two 12-foot travel lanes with a 12-foot continuous center turn lane, 12-foot shoulders and ditches.

*From north of Morgan Branch to East Bryant Street- four 12-foot travel lanes with a 12-foot continuous center turn lane, four foot shoulders, two-foot curb and gutter, a sidewalk within a 10 foot utility strip on either side.

January 7, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

A Carthage man involved in a truck crash last week near Liberty was found with methamphetamine.

38 year old Mark William Green is charged with driving under the influence and possession of methamphetamine with the intent to manufacture, sell, or deliver. His bond totals $17,500 and he will be in court January 17.

Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on Thursday, January 3 a deputy responded to Smith Fork due to a truck accident. After the crash, the driver drove away from the scene but the deputy spotted the vehicle on Hannah Branch Road. Green was behind the wheel unconscious. The officer stopped and awoke him but Green kept trying to fall asleep. His eyes were bloodshot and his speech was slurred. Green said he had taken several xanax the night before and was still hung over. Because of his condition, Green was unable to perform field sobriety tasks.

As Green got out of his truck, the deputy spotted a small package wrapped in black electrical tape setting in the driver seat. Green said the package contained one ounce of meth. The officer opened the package and found one ounce of a white crystal rock like substance believed to be methamphetamine. Several small plastic bags were also found in Green’s possession.

January 7, 2019
By: Dwayne Page

A Liberty man has been charged in a rash of October burglaries, thefts, and vandalisms at Liberty Mini Storage. Six victims were impacted by the crimes.

49 year old Randall Eugene Tittle of Tubb Street, Liberty is charged with three counts of vandalism, five counts of burglary, and five counts of theft. His bond totals $135,500 and his court date is January 10.

All the crimes occurred on October 15 as follows:

*Tittle cut two locks off the doors at Liberty Mini Storage valued at $20.

*Tittle cut two locks off the doors of a storage building and entered. He stole from the victim multiple items such as gas top stove, air conditioner, generator, and NASCAR Christmas collector items, all valued at $7,600.

*Tittle cut one lock off the doors of a storage building and entered. He stole from the victim multiple items such as 2 window air conditioner units, two tents, plastic totes, etc, all valued at $832.

*Tittle entered a storage building and stole from his victim multiple items such as an Oak dining room set, pool table, pool sticks, etc. all valued at $1750.

* Tittle entered a storage building and stole from his victim multiple items such as Maytag washer, 60 inch TV, miscellaneous tools, and two saddles, all valued at $1875.

* Tittle entered a storage building and took from his victim two Honda generators, coin proof sets, a pair of binoculars, and a Honda gas tank all valued at $3,575.

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