For about a week motorists traveling across the bridge over Fort Loudoun Dam have had more light to guide their vehicles since Tennessee Valley Authority crews finished repairing the lighting on the structure.

State Representative Jimmy Matlock said he and several others have been pushing TVA officials to get the lights turned back on for some time, but those at the power provider were resistant to spend the money fixing them because they won't be needed once a new bridge is built in that area.

Matlock said the change of opinion came after TVA officials met with residents in Tellico Village who were upset with the agency for putting sand baskets along the earthen embankments at the dam.

During the meeting several members of the public, including Matlock, let the officials know they wanted the lights repaired.

"I took that as a positive move from them that maybe they do listen to what constitutes say," Matlock said.

"With the installation of the temporary sand baskets the decision was made to go ahead and repair the lights," said Travis Brickey, a spokesman for TVA. 

He said the lights were turned off in January, 2008 because the wiring was aging and they were becoming a maintenance issue. Brickey said the cost to repair the lights was about $150,000.

Matlock has been outspoken in opposition to the sand-basket project, designed to keep the structures in compliance.

TVA officials released a statement that indicated new data entered into their flood modeling program determined the probable maximum flood levels could possibly top the earthen embankments, creating an issue with erosion and compromising the structural integrity of the dams.

There are also nuclear power plants along the river below the dam, which would have gone out of compliance in January had TVA not put the baskets in place.

Experts with TVA have said the possibility of such a storm event is highly unlikely, needing much more rain than has ever occurred in recorded history, but steps had to be taken to keep the nuclear power plants in compliance or they would have been shut down, resulting in millions of dollars in lost revenue.

"Of all the things that didn't happen right with those sand boxes, one of the things TVA did respond to is getting the lights turned back on," Matlock said. "My hope is they'll look closely and reevaluate whether (the sand-basket project) is a long-term fix, or a short-term reaction."

He said he is now more optimistic TVA officials may find a way to remove the baskets, or find a better long-term solution that is supported by the community.