UC roads, bridges included in TDOT plan for 2022-2024

NASHVILLE – Gov. Bill Lee and Tennessee Department of Transportation Commissioner Clay Bright today released TDOT’s annual three-year transportation program, featuring approximately $2.6 billion in infrastructure investments for 68 individual project phases in 45 counties across the state. Road work in five Upper Cumberland counties and bridge replacements in three U.C. counties were included in the program. The program supports Lee’s first Executive Order by funding work on 58 highway and bridge projects in economically distressed and at-risk counties.

“Investing in infrastructure is an important part of driving economic opportunity throughout our state,” Lee said. “This funding, particularly for rural Tennessee, will help to keep Tennesseans safe and moving in the right direction.”

The program emphasizes the repair and replacement of bridges, with activities beginning on 55 structures in 33 counties. Twenty-one of those bridges are on the state highway system, with the other 34 on local roads. U.C. bridges include two bridges in Cannon County, bridge over Roaring River on Windle Community Road in Overton County and the bridge over Post Oak Creek on Roberts Matthews Hwy at the White/Putnam County line.

The comprehensive program also continues to build on the IMPROVE Act’s progress, which provides for infrastructure investments in all 95 counties. This year’s program budgets dollars for 123 of the 962 projects listed as part of the 2017 legislation.

Preliminary engineering studies and right-of-way acquisition for several projects in the U.C. is included in the program. Improvements to I-40 east in Smith County from LM 258.0 to 266.5 including bridges will be funded for the preliminary engineering stage in 2022 and for Right-of-way acquisition in 2024. The expansion of SR-135 (North Willow Avenue) from W. Broad Street to W. 12th Street will be funded for preliminary engineering in 2022. SR-96 in Jackson and Putnam counties from SR-53 to US70 N (SR-24) will be funded for preliminary engineering in 2022. And right-of-way acquisition will be funded in 2024 for spot improvements to improve travel along SR-28/US-127 (S. York Highway) from just north of Jamestown in Fentress County to SR-111 in Pickett County at the Kentucky state line.

Construction will begin in FY 2022 on several critical transportation projects across the state: 

  • Blount County, Relocated Alcoa Highway (SR 115/US 129) 
  • Davidson County, Nolensville Pike from Old Hickory Boulevard to Mill Creek (SR 11/US 31A)
  • Hamilton County, I-75 Interchange Modification at I-24 Phase II
  • Sevier-Jefferson Counties, Newport Highway (SR 35/US 411)
  • Shelby County, I-55 Interchange Modification, Crump Boulevard

In addition to the 2022 budgeted program, partial plans for 2023 and 2024 are included for planning purposes. The comprehensive multimodal program contains components for rail, waterway, and aviation projects, funds statewide initiatives to improve safety, and addresses congestion through our HELP & Incident Management Programs. It also provides funding for transit agencies in all 95 counties and Metropolitan and Rural Planning Organizations. 

To view a complete list of projects and programs funded through the 2022-2024 three-year multimodal program, visit https://www.tn.gov/tdot/program-development-and-administration-home/program-development-and-administration-state-programs.html

Submit your story ideas to the Upper Cumberland Business Journal! via email.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.