Major road improvements to improve traffic and safety to begin in 2022

As the City of Murfreesboro continues to grow in every direction, traffic congestion remains a challenge for commuters and City engineers seeking to enhance traffic flow.

In 2017, the City Engineering Department 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.

Brinkley Road Bridge

A new bridge on Brinkley Road near Blaze Drive and Timber Creek near the entrance to Berkshire Subdivision is Phase 1 of the road widening project.

“We going to construct a 3-lane section through the area and widen the bridge to make it much more pedestrian friendly,” said Chris Griffith, Public Infrastructure Executive Director. “The current bridge is narrow and needs to be widened for safety of Blackman school students who come and go from classes, including Blackman Middle and Blackman High School.”

Phase 1 of the Brinkley widening will include a pedestrian path under the bridge. At times, Griffith said the pathway under the bridge will be flooded by high water from Overall Creek and not be accessible. Ninety percent of the time, especially the dryer months, the creek is low and not running very high.

The City Council approved approximately $3.8 million for the project. Bell Construction is expected to begin work on the bridge around late March 2022 with 18 months anticipated to finish the bridge. City engineers recommend avoiding the area, if possible, during construction.

Chaffin Place Turn Lane Widening

Chaffin Place at Old Fort Parkway and Thompson Lane near I-24 and the entrance to shopping and hotels is also slated for enhancement with a widened turn lane.

“We’re going to separate the right turn through-lane on the Chaffin Place side which will require significant work to remove utilities,” said Griffith. “Any shopper who has utilized the intersection during the holiday season is fully aware of the traffic congestion attempting to enter Old Fort Parkway.”

The widened turn lane will help improve traffic flow in the congested area. The project is fully funded with construction scheduled for May 2022 and estimated completion by Fall 2022.

Rucker Lane Reconstruction

The final phase (Phase 2) of Rucker Lane between Muirwood Blvd. and Hwy 96 (Franklin Road) near the Marymount Subdivision entrance will widen the road from two to three lanes. The Phase 1 between Veterans Parkway and Muirwood, opened earlier this year. Phase 2 Construction, beginning in Spring 2022, will require portions of the road to be closed for extended periods to alter the slope of the roadway. Completing Phase 2 of Rucker Lane will take 2 years.

Beasie Road and River Rock Blvd. Connector Bridge

The Beasie Road and River Rock Blvd. Connector Bridge near Costco and Lazydays RV will improve traffic in the area west of I-24.

“We’re trying to alleviate some of the pressure on Cason Lane for accessing New Salem (Hwy 99) and Old Fort Parkway,” said Griffith. “It will give residents in those neighborhoods a back way to exit from their homes to avoid the congested Cason Lane.”

City engineers expect to begin the Beasie Road and River Rock Connector sometime in late Summer to early Fall 2022 with an estimated completion in 2024. A public information meeting is slated for Tuesday, March 1 from 4:30-6:30 p.m. at Cason Lane Elementary School.

New Salem Widening Phase 2

TDOT is expected to begin construction to widen New Salem Hwy east of I-24 to Old Fort Parkway. New Salem is a highly traveled stretch of roadway east into downtown and west to the Rockvale community. TDOT anticipates beginning work on widening this section of New Salem Hwy in March 2022. The project will take approximately two years with completion expected in December 2024. Phase 1 widened New Salem Hwy west of I-24.

For questions about road improvement projects, the public is encouraged to contact Public Infrastructure Executive Director Chris Griffith at cgriffith@murfreesborotn.gov or by calling (615) 893-6441.

A big thank you goes out to River City Equipment Rental & Sales for sponsoring our construction update videos. They’re located at 211 Threet Industrial Rd in Smyrna and can be contacted at 615-223-0555.