Cookeville’s South Jefferson Avenue widening is now aimed at November

Cookeville’s South Jefferson Avenue widening is still an active construction project, not a finished road upgrade. TDOT says the work is in Phase 2, with traffic shifted onto the newly built eastern side of the corridor while grading, drainage, utility, and finish work continue.

The project covers South Jefferson Avenue, or State Route 136, from Interstate 40 south toward State Highway 111. It is rebuilding the road into a five-lane corridor with sidewalks, curb and gutter, drainage improvements, and new turn lanes at key spots including Bunker Hill Road and the I-40 eastbound off-ramp.

The timeline has also moved back. Cookeville’s capital projects page says the widening was originally expected to finish in spring 2025 and is now pushed to fall 2026. In July 2 reporting, The UC Now said the current target is November 2026.

That report also said crews had finished the final box culvert near the south end of the project. Even so, paving and intersection work still remain ahead, including work around Bunker Hill Road and signal equipment at Henley Drive.

What drivers should expect

For commuters, nearby businesses, and drivers who use South Jefferson as a daily connector, the practical message is simple: expect lane shifts and construction delays to continue through the rest of the year. TDOT says temporary lane closures, periodic stoppages, detours, and lane shifts are still part of the work zone.

The corridor matters because it carries everyday traffic between the interstate, nearby neighborhoods, schools, and commercial strips. That means the project’s final stages are likely to keep affecting travel times, access, and turning patterns even as crews move closer to the finish line.

For now, the best way to read the project is as movement, not completion. The widening is advancing, the traffic pattern is already on the new east side, and the last stretch of work still appears to be paving, signals, and intersection finish work before the road is ready for full use.

Sources

• TDOT South Jefferson Avenue project page
• City of Cookeville capital projects page
• The UC Now: Jefferson Avenue expansion completion timing