JOHN COFFELT
Editor

The Coffee County Commission approved a contract during the May 12 meeting to cooperate with the Tennessee Department of Transportation on a replacement traffic light at the intersection of Highways 41 and 127 in Hillsboro.

Commissioner Terry Hershman, who represents District 6 that includes Hillsboro, said that the traffic light will be a benefit to the residents who live in the area. He also said that it will alleviate much of the problems of Coffee County school buses trying to turn left onto Highway 41.

Overall, the contract covers the duties and liabilities of the state and the county. Mainly, the county will maintain and replace the light while also providing electricity powering the traffic light.

The county also agrees to waive enforcement of setback requirements regarding the state’s right-of-ways for the project in the event that any arise. The county will not authorize any encroachments into those state right-of-ways.

Approval of this contract follows a meeting held between representatives from TDOT and the infrastructure consulting firm AECOM and Coffee County officials on July 9, 2025 at the intersection to scope out the area for future improvements.

Coffee County Mayor Dennis Hunt, Sheriff Chad Partin, Road Superintendent Benton Bartlett and Assistant Road Superintendent Joe Joe Dobson were on hand at the time.

The improvements discussed include new galvanized poles on each corner, radar detectors and new pedestrian crosswalk buttons on two sides.

No start date was mentioned for the project, but it was noted by one of the TDOT representatives at the time that the project could take up to two years.