‘2040 Major Transportation Plan’ public review meetings Oct. 3, 10, 17, 24

The City of Murfreesboro will conduct four neighborhood informational meetings in major quadrants of the city to gather public comment on the Draft 2040 Major Transportation Plan. The Major Transportation Plan is a long-range plan that will guide city traffic planning and transportation projects for the next 25 years.

The public meetings will be held each Tuesday in October from 5:00-7:00 p.m. at the following locations:

Oct. 3 Hobgood Elementary 307 S. Baird Lane, 37130 5:00-7:00 p.m.

Oct. 10 Black Fox Elementary 1753 S. Rutherford Blvd., 37130 5:00-7:00 p.m.

Oct. 17 Siegel Elementary 135 W. Thompson Lane, 37129 5:00-7:00 p.m.

Oct. 24 Cason Lane Academy 1330 Cason Lane, 37128 5:00-7:00 p.m.

The City of Murfreesboro welcomes public comment on the plan. View the Draft 2040 Major Transportation Plan, including a proposed project list, at www.murfreesborotn.gov. The City of Murfreesboro announced the release of the draft 2040 Major Transportation Plan on Aug. 3. The October neighborhood informational meetings are designed for citizens to view displays, ask questions and offer comments on the documents in a community planning process.

The draft 2040 Major Transportation Plan outlines existing deficiencies and projects future transportation network needs based on a regional modeling process and computer-based projections without cost constraints. Forecasting future capital needs, detailed facility planning, and public and private decision-making are future steps in the stages of transportation improvement.

Neel-Schaffer, Inc. prepared traffic models, analyzed population growth and traffic demand, and incorporated future land use in preparing the draft 2040 Major Transportation Plan, which completes Chapter 3: Mobility of the Murfreesboro 2035 comprehensive plan. The city’s estimated population of 131,947 in 2016 is expected to nearly double to 259,292 by 2040.

As a “living document,” the draft 2040 Major Transportation Plan is subject to review and change based on administrative and elected official decision-making. The document considers how the City will grow over the next quarter century and identifies transportation strategies to address long-term deficiencies in a more sustainable, equitable and economically vibrant future.

The draft 2040 Major Transportation Plan mapping divides the transportation network into three major categories of analysis: 1) Existing roadways 2) Committed roadway projects and 3) Future roadway demand volume. The roadways projected to incur the heaviest traffic demand are identified in red and yellow. Roadways highlighted in blue are potential future projects.

In the draft 2040 Major Transportation Plan, consultants recognized significant physical barriers or “pinch points” to east-west and north-south mobility within the city limits, including I-24, Stones River, and CSX railroad. Future potential plans call for overpasses that would direct traffic over I-24 without full interchanges such as those at Medical Center Parkway, Highway 96, and Church Street.

Following public review and comment, the draft 2040 Major Transportation Plan will be presented to the City Planning Commission for recommendation to the City Council for approval.

Persons with disabilities requiring special accommodations should contact Michele Smithson at (615) 893-6411. The City of Murfreesboro does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, familiar status, or disability. The City of Murfreesboro complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964: 49 CFR, Part 26.

Citizens may contact City Transportation Director Jim Kerr at jkerr@murfreesborotn.gov or by calling (615) 893-6441 for more information. Citizens can review the 2040 Major Transportation Plan at www.murfreesborotn.gov.