Traffic Department

MPO Membership

Since the 1960's, the federal government has required that urbanized areas over 50,000 in population maintain a continuing, comprehensive and cooperative planning process. In Tennessee, this program is administered through TDOT and is implemented by the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO).

On Dec. 16, 1992, the governing board of the Nashville Area MPO voted to expand its membership to cover Davidson, Rutherford. Sumner, Wilson and Williamson counties. Because the five-county area is classified as a maintenance zone by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), it qualifies for federal funds appropriated for reducing transportation-related emissions.

Murfreesboro has benefited from its membership in the Nashville are MPO in several ways including being the beneficiary of $9 million directed at 10 transportation-related projects. These are:

• Tennessee Boulevard Widening -- Greenland Drive to Main Street
• Old Fort Park & Ride Facility
• Closed Circuit Television Installation (Phases One and Two)
• Broad and Memorial separated grade crossings.
• U.S. 231 and I-24 Interchange Signalization and lane additions.
• Clark and Memorial Intersection Improvement.
• Bradyville and Minerva Intersection improvements.
• New Salem Highway Intersection Improvement.
• Greenland Drive Widening -- Tennessee to "C" Street.

The MPO's regional perspective gives its members the advantage of tackling problems common to all. Regional studies have included formulation of the Regional Long Range Transportation Plan, Intelligent Transportation Systems Strategic Plan, Incident Management Plan and Commuter Rail Studies.

Murfreesboro City Engineer Chris Griffith and the city's traffic director Dana Richardson currently serve on the MPO's technical coordinating committee and Murfreesboro Mayor Tommy Bragg serves on the executive board.

Related to one of the MPO's more visible projects, the Southeast Corridor Transit Study, meetings to gather public input for proposed solutions to traffic congestion along the Murfreesboro Road and Interstate 24 corridor were conducted Aug. 12 through 14 in Smyrna, Murfreesboro and Nashville to brief people who live, work or travel along the Murfreesboro Road/I-24 corridor about the high-performance transit study currently underway.  The meetings were well attended and provided the MPO and study consultants with valuable information.

Project Manager Jim McAteer reports that a summary of the meetings, including verbatim comments of meeting participants is now available at www.setransitstudy.com.  He invites anyone interested to review the summary and utilize the comments section of the Web site to provide any additional thoughts or questions anyone may have.

• Kevin Feldt - Jacksonville Transportation Authority, Project Manager; Jacksonville, Fla.
• John Muth - Charlotte Area Transit System, Deputy Director of Development; Charlotte, NC
• Sandy Ogburn - Former City Council member and Founder of Triangle Transit Authority Board of Trustees; Raleigh, NC

For additional information regarding the transit study,contact Jim McAteer at the Nashville Area MPO at (615) 862-7204 or visit www.setransitstudy.com.

Welcome!
from Dana Richardson, Traffic Director