As the City of Murfreesboro grows, traffic congestion continues to be a major challenge for commuters and City engineers seeking to enhance traffic flow. The City Engineering Department has developed a “Congestion Hot Spot Program” for construction projects aimed at reducing traffic congestion.
Many of the street improvements widen sections of roadway or add turn lanes to enhance traffic flow. An estimated $1.2 million improvement to a section of Blaze Drive between Brinkley Road and Blackman High School widened the road to three lanes and installed curb and gutter before the start of the new school year. Sidewalk widening will be completed by mid-October.
“The Congestion Hot Spot Program is designed to make strategic changes to heavily traveled streets and major exits by widening lanes, adding turn lanes and/or signals,” said City Engineer Chris Griffith. “The City Council has devoted significant resources to the street improvements program specifically designed to improve traffic flow.”
City Traffic Engineer, Ram Balachandran, has worked extensively with TDOT in developing improvements to the existing interchanges and he is currently working with TDOT on the I-24 Eastbound Exit Ramp at State Route 99 and the I-24 Eastbound Exit Ramp at Fortress Blvd./Medical Center Parkway.
In FY 2016-17, The City’s Congestion Hot Spot Program included the following projects:
Location Project Timetable
Old Fort Parkway and Market Place Turn Lanes Completed
I-24 Eastbound Exit Ramp at South Church Triple Exit Lanes Completed
I-24 Westbound Exit Ramp at Old Fort Pkwy. Exit Lanes Underway by TDOT
Northfield Blvd. at Heritage Park Median/Turn/ Complete mid-Oct.
Gateway Blvd. at Medical Center Pkwy. Signal/Turn Lane Jan. 2018
In FY 2017-18, the Congestion Hot Spot Program includes these additional planned projects:
Medical Center Pkwy. at Gresham Park Dr. Extend Left Turn Lane mid-Oct.
Sulphur Springs Rd. at Regenwood Dr. Add Turn Lanes Fall 2017
Northwest Broad St. at Thompson Lane Extend Left Turn Design Phase
Butler Dr. at South Church St. Add Right Turn Lane Begins Sept.
Haynes Dr. at Memorial Blvd. Through Lane/Extend Turn mid-Oct.
Haynes Dr. at Sulphur Springs Rd. Add Right Turn Lane Begins Sept.
Regenwood Dr. at Haynes Dr. Add Left Turn Lane Spring 2018
Thompson Lane Trailhead at Thompson Lane Add Left Turn Lane Winter
Old Fort Pkwy./SR-96 at Veterans Widen SR-96/5 Lanes Bid Oct. 2017
Northwest Broad at Florence Rd. Add Right Turn Lane mid-Oct.
Robert Rose Dr. at Thompson Lane Add Right Turn Lane Design/FY2019
Clark Blvd. at Memorial Boulevard Add Right Turn Lane Design/FY 2019
The larger $11 million Brinkley Road Improvement Project, approved for design by the City Council in May 2016, will widen 2.1 miles of roadway between Franklin Road (SR 96) to Manson Pike. The improvement will include a continuous center turn lane, pedestrian and pike paths and a new bridge over Overall Creek to improve walking and biking from neighborhood subdivisions to Blackman schools.
To any questions about road improvement projects, the public is encouraged to contact City Engineer Chris Griffith at cgriffith@murfreesborotn.gov or by calling (615) 893-6441.
For City News online, visit www.Murfreesborotn.gov.