The Transportation and Mass Transit Megathread

[PruneTracy]

16 hours ago, Nash_12South said:

There are probably a dozen ways to achieve this work without closing the roads for an entire weekend. This likely is the most cost effective method rather than least inconvenient one. 

That said, it’s not the end of the world. I just imagine if the people making this decision lived nearby, it would be handled differently.

There is no way to complete the work without closing I-65 at some point. For safety reasons, the contractor can't place the beams for the I-440 bridge widening directly over active traffic on the below ramps and Interstate.

Regarding the actual work, it's more efficient to complete it in smaller numbers of longer closures than many short closures. The latter (i.e., nightly closures) would take longer and require more traffic control setups, and many of the required tasks are pushing the limits of an eight-hour window. The weekend closures are the most efficient (or perhaps least drawn-out) way to complete the work which is why TDOT allowed for two of them in the RFP.

Keep in mind also that there was the option to completely close Interstate 440 in two segments for the duration of the project, which didn't feature in the winning bid. TDOT attempted to place a cost value on these options to account for the inconvenience to the public (making the question of cost-effectiveness on the contractor's part moot), but the bottom line is that closed roads get built quicker.

tl;dr You can't make an omelet without breaking a few eggs.

As far as the people making this decision, Kiewit's office is in Brentwood and many of the TDOT brass live south of town so I'm sure at least some of them will be impacted by it. I'm personally driving home on Friday afternoon and throwing my truck keys in the woods.

[Nashvillain]

20 hours ago, CenterHill said:

Add this in the mix.     A Global Climate Strike encouraging people in cities around the world to stage protests against climate change inaction.     A Nashville group is scheduling an event here for 6:30pm downtown on Friday.     TDOT closes 440 at 9pm, about the time all these people would be leaving downtown.   

 

Shouldn't be a problem as none of the protesters will be driving...because automobiles generate climate warming emissions

[volsfanwill]

Fire in the construction area, hope it doesn't delay the work this weekend

[grilled_cheese]

4 hours ago, volsfanwill said:

Fire in the construction area, hope it doesn't delay the work this weekend

The non-Davidson TDOT management can't even handle their modded vapes.

[Dale]

15 hours ago, Nashvillain said:

Shouldn't be a problem as none of the protesters will be driving...because automobiles generate climate warming emissions

Where can I park for this ?

[ruraljuror]

16 hours ago, Nashvillain said:

Shouldn't be a problem as none of the protesters will be driving...because automobiles generate climate warming emissions

 

1 hour ago, Dale said:

Where can I park for this ?

Not only will a lot of these hypocrite protesters be driving cars, but every single one of them will be exhaling C02 literally every time they take a breath.  What a bunch of frauds.  And the irony is, the faster they march, the more C02 they're going to be putting out into the atmosphere.  Talk about counterproductive.  

It reminds me of when the clean water activists back in the 70's had the gaul to continue defecating in toilets.  I mean sure, most of our public waterways are a lot cleaner now in most places as a result of their efforts, but those activists must feel like real idiots.

If you guys really want to show these phonies how it ought to be done, you could spend just one single day holding your breath and crapping in a hole in the woods, and I bet you might just do more good for this planet than all of these misguided protesters combined.  

[CenterHill]

4 minutes ago, ruraljuror said:

 

Not only will a lot of these hypocrite protesters be driving cars, but every single one of them will be exhaling C02 literally every time they take a breath.  What a bunch of frauds.  And the irony is, the faster they march, the more C02 they're going to be putting out into the atmosphere.  Talk about counterproductive.  

It reminds me of when the clean water activists back in the 70's had the gaul to continue defecating in toilets.  I mean sure, most of our public waterways are a lot cleaner now in most places as a result of their efforts, but those activists must feel like real idiots.

If you guys really want to show these phonies how it ought to be done, you could spend just one single day holding your breath and crapping in a hole in the woods, and I bet you might just do more good for this planet than all of these misguided protesters combined.  

This thread is way off base, but I'll just say that is a really strange reaction about citizens who want to gather to support a global call for action on climate change.      Moving on now. 

[GregH]

Yeah that's an AM call-in radio crank-level rant but you do you I guess.

Edited September 19, 2019 by GregH

[ruraljuror]

9 minutes ago, CenterHill said:

This thread is way off base, but I'll just say that is a really strange reaction about citizens who want to gather to support a global call for action on climate change.      Moving on now. 

 

7 minutes ago, GregH said:

Yeah that's an AM call-in radio crank-level rant but you do you I guess.

Maybe you guys missed the point?  I guess we live in a world where satire is dead - and there's nobody to blame but the author when the reader doesn't pick up the message that's being put down - but damn if I didn't think that it was pretty clearly a modest proposal that I was suggesting here. Oh well.

More importantly, where were y'all after the original comments claiming protestors wouldn't be driving cars because that would be hypocritical?  Seems like that might've been a good time to chime in with your downvotes and responses instead of going after the guy who's pointing out the how farcical that position is.  

Edited September 19, 2019 by ruraljuror

[CenterHill]

1 minute ago, ruraljuror said:

 

Maybe you guys missed the point?  I guess we live in a world where satire is dead - and there's nobody to blame but the author when the reader doesn't pick up the message that's being put down - but damn if I didn't think that it was pretty clearly a modest proposal that I was suggesting here. Oh well.

More importantly, where were y'all when it was originally suggested that the protestors wouldn't be driving cars because that would be hypocritical?  Seems like that might've been a good time to chime in with your downvotes and comments instead of going after the guy who's pointing out the how farcical that position is.  

Ah.   Sorry, man, your faux rant was so convincing I totally missed the satire.     See you at the march.   

[PaulChinetti]

Maybe throw a sarcasm tag in there. /s

These days there is very little to differentiate between satire and real life. 

[Nashvillain]

38 minutes ago, ruraljuror said:

 

Maybe you guys missed the point?  I guess we live in a world where satire is dead - and there's nobody to blame but the author when the reader doesn't pick up the message that's being put down - but damn if I didn't think that it was pretty clearly a modest proposal that I was suggesting here. Oh well.

More importantly, where were y'all after the original comments claiming protestors wouldn't be driving cars because that would be hypocritical?  Seems like that might've been a good time to chime in with your downvotes and responses instead of going after the guy who's pointing out the how farcical that position is.  

I got your satire but I guess you didn't get mine. As some damn dirty socialist once said, "We live in the world as it is" or something. Meaning you can't point out that someone who supports action on climate change drives a car (and is therefore a hypocrite) because of course they do, they practically must. 

[Jamie Hall]

Any news about what the billowing black smoke was from yesterday? Car fire or construction materials?

[Nash_12South]

I had to get to the airport and back to 12 South this afternoon and it was doable if time consuming with the. 65/440/Franklin Rd closures. The interstate was backed up going, so I tried Briley/Thompson Ln/Woodmont on the return, a mistake. Sections of Thompson were packed and crawling. Woodmont was crawling as was Lealand/10th and every other side street I passed. One thing I realized and am seeing others commenting on, were a lack of detour signs helping folks figure out alternate routes. Not Armageddon, but I wonder what could be done done better next time....Just my 2 cents.... Did anyone else get caught up in this? 

Edited September 22, 2019 by Nash_12South

[e-dub]

[Dale]

On 9/19/2019 at 11:05 AM, PaulChinetti said:

Maybe throw a sarcasm tag in there. /s

These days there is very little to differentiate between satire and real life. 

UP won’t let me post emojis, a large reason why I post and run.

[smeagolsfree]

38 minutes ago, Dale said:

UP won’t let me post emojis, a large reason why I post and run.

It may be where you are trying to post them from. I can do it fine from my desk top, but when I try from my tablet or phone I have a problem.

[MLBrumby]

I'm not optimistic that Nashville will get ahead of anything that happens along Lafayette. I don't see them abandoning the piecemeal approach they've taken everywhere else. They will continue the mishmash of streets and confusing flow of traffic under John Cooper especially. No doubt there's no funding for 'nice to dos' as depicted in these NCDC concepts.  Pretty sure there's no TDOT funding for anything on Lafayette in the IMPROVE act. 

Proposal for Lafayette and Fifth Avenue South with turn lane from sb 5th Ave. (apparent extension of Elm) closed/replaced by plaza (article says building on right would be Bob Dylan & Co. distillery complex). I'm not familiar with any tall proposal at the sliver of land between west side of 5th and Lafayette. 

Proposal for Sixth and Lafayette (with part of Lea west of 6th cutoff and replaced with 11,000 sf. plaza

Proposal for junction of Lafayette, Seventh, Peabody and Lea. I think the building on the left is what would be the KVB Roundabout office tower

From NP:  https://www.nashvillepost.com/business/nashville-post-magazine/article/21088409/a-new-look-for-lafayette#&gid=1&pid=3

Edited September 23, 2019 by MLBrumby

[nashwatcher]

This is a great idea. It wouldn't be a huge investment and it would do a great deal to add to our downtown. Plus it would encourage much larger scale development from out of state investors which is good for the city.

[Bark At The Sun]

On 9/22/2019 at 12:54 PM, e-dub said:

Hopefully TDOT posts a video of some drone footage of the detour.   They posted this a little over a month ago from a project on I-40 at U.S. 45 N. Highland in Jackson.   Not as big of an interchange, or exactly the same as 440 and 65, but a similar detour.

Edited September 24, 2019 by Bark At The Sun

[Bark At The Sun]

Per TDOT's Facebook page  

[markhollin]

Starting Friday night (Sept 27th), I-24 will be closed on the east side of the downtown loop, according to Tennessee Department of Transportation Twitter accounts. 

The stretch of freeway between I-65 and I-40 will shut down 9 p.m. Friday and reopen 5 a.m. Monday.

The closure will allow workers to repair bridge joints at the Woodland Street, Main Street and Silliman Evans bridges. 

https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/local/2019/09/26/nashville-traffic-24-downtown-loop-close-weekend-repairs/2442348001/

[chris holman]

 

[AronG]

Such a waste...

[downtownresident]

44 minutes ago, AronG said:

Such a waste...

The I-440 reconstruction? Not a waste at all, the roadway was rough, and the expanded capacity is needed.