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Caution lights hit snag
State funding approved
intersection w L
Caution lights may soon be installed at the intersection of Highway 83 and Highway 70, shown here. - photo by Photo by: Reed Vanderpool
After nearly three years of trying to get the proper caution lights installed at a troublesome intersection, the county commission voted Monday night to change plans again when they learned that state funding for the job may have finally been approved.The intersection of US 70 and Highway 83 has been the scene of numerous collisions in the last few years, and the county had recently given up on state funding and agreed to pay for the work locally.The contract was awarded to Stansell Electric at a cost of approximately $30,000, but when the company attempted to apply for job permits from the state representatives were apparently told that state funding had been approved."We've been three years trying to get lights put up at the intersection of Highway 70 and 83,” County Mayor Mike Foster said Monday night. “We thought we had contracted with Stansell Electric to put up those lights but when they went to get the permit to put them up they got this response. "Many months ago, I talked to TDOT about trying to get them to put up caution lights there because we felt like it was an extremely dangerous intersection,” Foster added.“We had 18-20 wrecks at that intersection.