JOHN COFFELTEditor

The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, the agency that oversees Tennessee State Parks held a public meeting on Nov. 6 at the Coffee County Administrative Plaza concerning the Old Stone Fort Archeological Park bridge project.

During the first half of the crowded meeting, state officials described details of the project that is funded by federal dollars and will replace the condemned 1906 truss bridge with a modern structure and relocate the historic bridge to an overlook at an upstream portion of the Duck River near the Highway 41 Bridge.

The second half of the meeting was a 45-minute comment period for members of the community to offer their perspective on the project.

TDEC Office of External Affairs Chuck Yoest called the meeting an ongoing stakeholder engagement effort by the department concerning the project.

“We want to make sure we leave no stone unturned and have considered all available information,” Yoest said.

The meeting followed a grassroots effort by the Save Our Stone Fort Bridge Facebook group who opposes the project, and a resolution that was passed unanimously by the Coffee County Commission calling for the preservation of the bridge.

Deputy Commissioner Greer Tidwell said that the park gives people a sense of place.

“I know in this room that there is story after story of people who had their boots on the ground, who raised their kids, who may have fallen in love, who may have proposed marriage, who may have dealt with a loss in the family by spending time out at Old Stone Fort,” he said.

“One thing I know that’s in this room right now is a lot of caring for that park,” Tidwell said. “We have a plan, but we haven’t taken final action yet. We want to listen to input from you because we want to make the best decision we can.”

The proposed project according to Tidwell is to protect the bridge by moving it to a portion of the Garrison Road Trail.

“I’ve got an open mind about this. Tonight is about listening. I’ve got to listen to the opinions so far, but what we are looking for is new insights, facts and to make sure we are considering this from all angles,” Tidwell said.

Save Our Stone Fort Bridge Member Joe Mckeehan requested another meeting at a later time and an extension to the Nov. 15 comment period deadline. The group said members were working with bridge experts on a way to rehab the structure for about $230,000.

Area Three Manager Jacob Young, detailing the Old Stone Fort Bridge Replacement Project, said that bridge was rated critical during the 2020 TDOT inspection and not repairable.

Inspectors are said to have found a loaded-beyond-capacity floor beam in addition to the bridge having deteriorated superstructure and substructure.

“The most damage elements are under the decks, not visible from the deck area. The truss bridge is a fracture critical structure. If a fracture critical member fails the entire bridge can fail as well,” Young said.

TEDC Office of External Affairs’ Chuck Yeost added, “repair to the bridge is just not feasible based on the extensive damage to the bridge, the number of repairs, the methods that it would take to repair the bridge…” and the “exorbitant cost.”

Members of the Save Our Stone Fort Bridge group dispute those findings. Member Deb Morgan said during the comment portion of the meeting that the state’s presentation contained a great many misconceptions and non-factual issues.

“Our engineers that we have consulted with will tell you, and you are welcome to contact them…, that bridge can be repaired to a PE stamp for vehicles, whether you want to just use it for maintenance or emergency access, for less than $250,000,” Morgan said.

“Stop it, guys,” she said. “This is just someone wanting to build an ugly bridge. There is nothing wrong with that bridge that it cannot be utilized for what it’s always been designed for.”

The one-lane bridge was moved from Dabbs Ford Road in Franklin County in the 1970s to provide access to the Campground.

Country Club Drive resident Brian Stacy was the sole voice in support closing the temporary entrance near his home.

“I am one of the five houses that gets to see every camper that comes to the campground. I am personally happy that the entrance will change,” he said.

He also was not in favor of widening Country Club Drive.

Fellow Country Club resident Donna Toney said that she had not passed a camper in 60 days. She said that the state should find a more conservative way to preserve the bridge. As a camper at the park, she said it was difficult to get a fifth-wheel rig in at the main entrance.

Coffee County Central High School Senior Anna-Leise Strohm said that the school’s cheerleaders each year have the squad photo taken on the bridge.

“I believe that history plays a big part in our life…I believe it is extremely important to tell more people about the importance of our history. We have taken the same picture at Old Stone Fort, and it would be tragic to see that go,” Strohm said.

The majority of public comments opposing the bridge replacement centered on the historic and cultural significance of the bridge. Members of the community felt that the Truss Bridge at the new location would be inaccessible and too close to Highway 41 to escape from the “sound and vibrations of the day-to-day word,” resident Sarah Bradley said.

Young, however, early on voiced the state’s thinking on the matter, agreeing with the bridge’s value as a landmark. But planners feel that that value can be preserved in the new location. They called the overlook a new asset to the park and a destination that will draw hikers to that portion of the park.

At the meeting, the state offered updated numbers for the cost of the project at $8.5 million for the entire project that includes $740,000 to move the truss bridge. This is funded entirely with a federal grant that is specifically designated for state parks to improve road and bridge infrastructure.

Young said that the current setup with a campground entrance off of Country Club Drive was operationally ineffective, a challenge to campers and could be a hindrance to park rangers in the event of an emergency.

Young said if the temporary entrance to the campground were to become permanent, Country Club Drive would require widening and a turning lane would be needed, and possibly the one on Highway 41.

A member of the public said that the narrow street will need to be widened to accommodate the additional traffic from the nearby County Lane development, a sore spot for many of the area’s residents. The discussion stopped short of speculating on how better access to the neighborhood would affect the density of future residential development there.

Commissioner Dennis Hunt rounded out the public comments by noting the impact of moving in and operating the heavy equipment needed for the project will have on the environment in the park.

“Nobody living near, nobody visiting the park and nobody camping at the park is going to enjoy it,” Hunt said. “Fifty years I’ve been in the crane business…I know what the construction aspects of this and how bad it’s going to be,” Hunt said, describing some of the steps involved in such a project.

If final approval is given, construction is estimated to begin in August of 2024. The Truss Overlook would be positioned to be visible from the Highway 41 bridge that was built in 2012 to replace what was called locally the “Green Bridge” that spans the Duck River, a waterway that remains the most bio-diverse in the nation.

John has been with the Manchester Times since May 2011. John has won Tennessee Press Association awards for Best News Photo and placed in numerous other categories. John is a 1994 graduate of Tullahoma High School, a graduate of Motlow State Community College and earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Middle Tennessee State University. He lives in Tullahoma, enjoys painting, dancing and exploring the outdoors.