A short drive over the county line and into Antioch, Bell Road is closing at J. Percy Priest Dam from 6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday between Feb. 22 and March 12, 2021 while the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District replaces the fencing on the dam. The roadway will be open on weekends over the duration of the work.

Lee’s Excavation is the contractor for installing the fencing and plans to use large manlift equipment and forklift on the roadway along the 700-foot stretch across the top of the dam. The contractor will install barriers and signage to inform the public during closure periods.

“We understand this is a hardship for local commuters. Safety is a top concern to ensure the safety of the contractor installing the new fencing,” said Jonathan Truelove, project manager for the installation.

Trey Church, resource manager at J. Percy Priest Lake, said the Corps is trying to inform local residents and others who routinely use this route so they can make alternative transportation plans during the period of the work and closure over the dam. He said the fencing protects the critical infrastructure. The existing fencing has been ripped down by past vehicle accidents and is being reinstalled with a new design to better protect it from any possible future accidents along the roadway, he added.

“Please share this with everyone you know so they can plan ahead for this closure,” Church said. “We know this is a inconvenience for a lot of people and we just want to alleviate the frustration by getting the word out ahead of time.”