Surrounding Counties - Cheatham, Dickson, Montgomery, Rutherford, Sumner, Wilson, Williamson, Maury, etc.

[markhollin]

The Williamson County government and Williamson County Schools five year capital plans equal approximately $500 million, combined, in new schools, new county buildings and renovations. The commission approved a WCS five-year capital plan in the amount of $477.4 million and a countywide five-year capital plan for $49.4 million. 

As exponential county growth continues, so does the need for new buildings and more classrooms as reflected in the half a billion capital needs of the county. Population projections show that Williamson County will double in people or grow to approximately 430,000 by 2040.

More at The Tennessean here:

https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/local/williamson/franklin/2020/01/13/williamson-county-growth-capital-spending-plans/4461362002/

[MLBrumby]

Thanks for posting. Just like the projections posted on this board 15 years ago, those numbers are much lower than they're likely to be. I think Williamson's figure is probably one of the closest of all the counties in the Top 30. IDK if it's a fear that if/when those numbers are exceeded, they think these lower estimates will cover their butts from the blame that they didn't keep up infrastructure. Speaking of, the IMPROVE highway bill passed 2 years ago has seen nothing start. Remember, this was going to speed up the pipeline. Embarrassing. 

[LA_TN]

4 hours ago, MLBrumby said:

Thanks for posting. Just like the projections posted on this board 15 years ago, those numbers are much lower than they're likely to be. I think Williamson's figure is probably one of the closest of all the counties in the Top 30. IDK if it's a fear that if/when those numbers are exceeded, they think these lower estimates will cover their butts from the blame that they didn't keep up infrastructure. Speaking of, the IMPROVE highway bill passed 2 years ago has seen nothing start. Remember, this was going to speed up the pipeline. Embarrassing. 

I-440 reconstruction was the first IMPROVE project, and is currently underway (contract was awarded August 1, 2018, preliminary work for sound barriers plus fiber optics began November 2018, and actual heavy construction began in March 2019, and estimated to be completed August 2020)

[AsianintheNations]

12 hours ago, markhollin said:

A 237 unit condo condo complex featuring 8 buildings (half of which would be 4 stories tall) is being planned for 20.0 acres off of Wood Duck Court in east Franklin.  Community Housing Partnership is the developer.  No name of the complex yet. 

More at The Tennessean here:

https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/local/williamson/2020/01/14/wood-duck-court-franklin-tn-community-housing-partnership/4470144002/

 

I wish asphalt actually looked like that! It's like the surface of a lake in an impressionist painting, gently reflecting the cherry blossoms and all, on a perfectly sunny day to boot.

[PruneTracy]

17 hours ago, MLBrumby said:

Speaking of, the IMPROVE highway bill passed 2 years ago has seen nothing start. Remember, this was going to speed up the pipeline. Embarrassing. 

12 hours ago, LA_TN said:

I-440 reconstruction was the first IMPROVE project, and is currently underway (contract was awarded August 1, 2018, preliminary work for sound barriers plus fiber optics began November 2018, and actual heavy construction began in March 2019, and estimated to be completed August 2020)

The IMPROVE Act projects were not "shovel-ready", to borrow the stimulus term. In fact, most of them had been sitting in environmental purgatory long enough that they needed NEPA reevaluations, which is adding to the time. But there are plenty in the works.

The ones currently under construction are mostly bridge replacements, as they are generally the quickest to go to construction. I-440 was a design-build project, which is why it beat the other roadway projects to construction.

FYI, you can track the progress of these projects here:

https://www.tdot.tn.gov/projectneeds/spot

There is a filter for project status that can show the ones currently being constructed.

[MLBrumby]

1 hour ago, PruneTracy said:

The IMPROVE Act projects were not "shovel-ready", to borrow the stimulus term. In fact, most of them had been sitting in environmental purgatory long enough that they needed NEPA reevaluations, which is adding to the time. But there are plenty in the works.

The ones currently under construction are mostly bridge replacements, as they are generally the quickest to go to construction. I-440 was a design-build project, which is why it beat the other roadway projects to construction.

FYI, you can track the progress of these projects here:

https://www.tdot.tn.gov/projectneeds/spot

There is a filter for project status that can show the ones currently being constructed.

That supports my point about TDOT's lack of focus on prioritized projects. And why aren't more projects design-build if that's what it takes to get the ball rolling. 

Related story, I was driving back with a coworker from Louisville last fall and we came from I-65 north.  About 20 miles north of downtown, we passed through a hilly area with just 2 lanes. Coworker remarked, "This looks like West Virginia. You'd never know you're this close to a major city."  All I could say was, "I bet the poor sacks who have to commute on this everyday know it." It was early afternoon on a weekday and traffic was very heavy.  I suppose adding capacity to a major national highway in a suburban county doesn't rank nearly as high on the list as a four-lane divided limited access highway from East B-F to West B-F.  That's where I fault TDOT. As for the state, when you look at what they hoard in tax monies, one wonders why they can't use some debt to fund certain transportation project. Hell, legislators could put tight restrictions on how debt is used for highways... or (dare I say) mass transit. 

[bnacincy]

8 hours ago, MLBrumby said:

That supports my point about TDOT's lack of focus on prioritized projects. And why aren't more projects design-build if that's what it takes to get the ball rolling. 

Related story, I was driving back with a coworker from Louisville last fall and we came from I-65 north.  About 20 miles north of downtown, we passed through a hilly area with just 2 lanes. Coworker remarked, "This looks like West Virginia. You'd never know you're this close to a major city."  All I could say was, "I bet the poor sacks who have to commute on this everyday know it." It was early afternoon on a weekday and traffic was very heavy.  I suppose adding capacity to a major national highway in a suburban county doesn't rank nearly as high on the list as a four-lane divided limited access highway from East B-F to West B-F.  That's where I fault TDOT. As for the state, when you look at what they hoard in tax monies, one wonders why they can't use some debt to fund certain transportation project. Hell, legislators could put tight restrictions on how debt is used for highways... or (dare I say) mass transit. 

I've been dealing with this since I moved to Cincinnati.

I-65 is now 6 lanes from Louisville to the TN state line-then it's just a 4 lane highway from there to Long Hollow Pike.

I have emailed TDOT a few times and the story I get is this: money is allocated to widen 65 from the state line to Long Hollow but the work will be done in phases.

This could take some time.

[BnaBreaker]

10 minutes ago, bnacincy said:

I've been dealing with this since I moved to Cincinnati.

I-65 is now 6 lanes from Louisville to the TN state line-then it's just a 4 lane highway from there to Long Hollow Pike.

I have emailed TDOT a few times and the story I get is this: money is allocated to widen 65 from the state line to Long Hollow but the work will be done in phases.

This could take some time.

Yeah, everytime you cross the state into Tennessee it literally feels like you're going back in time.  The road is rougher, the scenery is more rustic, the shoulders become thin and dusty, some of the signs are bent... hell, even the state trooper cars look ancient compared to the brand new gray/electric blue Chargers you see in Kentucky.  It's sad, really.

[MLBrumby]

And don't get me started on the rickety condition of I-24 between Chattanooga and Nashville! 

[titanhog]

I thought you guys didn't want any money spent on roads outside of Davidson County.  Why the change?  

[LA_TN]

12 hours ago, MLBrumby said:

...  I suppose adding capacity to a major national highway in a suburban county doesn't rank nearly as high on the list as a four-lane divided limited access highway from East B-F to West B-F.  That's where I fault TDOT.... 

Ironically, most urban residents of Nashville (and this forum included) oppose expansion of I-65 because it will encourage more sprawl.

3 hours ago, MLBrumby said:

And don't get me started on the rickety condition of I-24 between Chattanooga and Nashville! 

Agreed. But the Chattanooga/Lookout Mtn section is the bottleneck

[smeagolsfree]

I do think that the interstates in the state of TN need to be at least 3 lanes if not 4 throughout the entire state. I dont think this has anything to do with the flow of traffic in and out of Nashville, but to ease travel congestion between the main cities and not just the interstate traffic we have but the intrastate traffic that is generated here.

I have traveled the interstate system in all parts of this state and realize the need for expanded lanes. The ones the come to my mind right off the bat are the section between Murfreesboro and Chattanooga, the entire stretch of I 65 between KY and AL, and I 24 from Nashville to the KY state line.

Much of the traffic that is using those sections are out of state and truck traffic and they end up contributing to the bottleneck in Nashville. Interestingly there use to never be back ups in the middle of the day on 65 and 40 through the loops of downtown coming from the north on 65 or 40 from the east unless there was a wreck. Now it is a everyday occurrence and I am a license plate reader and a lot of those plates are out of state, especially during the summer months.

[markhollin]

McCain's Station (130 acres, 684 housing units) has been approved by the Gallatin City Council. 

More at The Tennessean here:
 

https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/local/sumner/2020/01/16/gallatin-council-oks-housing-development-mccains-station-initial-vote/4434711002/
 

 

[markhollin]

Harmony at Brentwood (4 stories, 191 units, retirement community) update.  Complete and open.

Looking east from Overlook Blvd., 1/2 block south of Church Street East:
 

[PruneTracy]

20 hours ago, bnacincy said:

I've been dealing with this since I moved to Cincinnati.

I-65 is now 6 lanes from Louisville to the TN state line-then it's just a 4 lane highway from there to Long Hollow Pike.

I have emailed TDOT a few times and the story I get is this: money is allocated to widen 65 from the state line to Long Hollow but the work will be done in phases.

This could take some time.

TDOT is currently accepting proposals for design services for the widening of I-65 to six lanes from Long Hollow Pike to the Kentucky state line. This work is divided into four segments but will be designed and constructed concurrently. Only two of the segments are shown in the three-year plan, but assuming typical intervals all four would go to construction in FY 2023. These were supposed to be design-build projects but were moved to design-bid-build, I'm not sure why exactly.

7 hours ago, smeagolsfree said:

I do think that the interstates in the state of TN need to be at least 3 lanes if not 4 throughout the entire state. I dont think this has anything to do with the flow of traffic in and out of Nashville, but to ease travel congestion between the main cities and not just the interstate traffic we have but the intrastate traffic that is generated here.

TDOT is updating the I-40/I-81 corridor plan now, it will probably include a recommendation to widen I-40 to at least six lanes to I-81, then all of I-81 in Tennessee. TDOT is already installing a third lane in certain locations between Nashville and Knoxville.

The I-65 corridor study already recommended widening I-65 to at least six lanes from Kentucky through Bear Creek Pike east of Columbia, which is a little less than two-thirds of the mileage through the state.

[MLBrumby]

Thanks for that update. I think it's absurd how that critical segment will go to construction in three years when it's been needed for decades already. I realize right of way takes time, but not three years. My fault with TDOT is they seem to always be caught unprepared for 'the next stage' (whatever it may be). In Georgia, when a road needs expanding, it's immediately put on a state bid list while all prelim impact studies are underway.  Then they're put in priority and funding allocated accordingly. Georgia also allows debt to fund its transportation. The state Transportation Commissioner is also the second most powerful government official in the state behind the governor. 

The attitude of many in Nashville that expressways should not be expanded because it exacerbates sprawl is just simply backward thinking. Interstates are used for important business transportation from all over the nation. Nashville happens to be one of those cities that's smack in the middle of so many places. To think freeways only serve commuting suburbanites is not thinking things through.  There's something called the MPO (Metropolitan Planning Organization) that's supposed to coordinate the major thoroughfares between the metro area counties. 

Edited January 18, 2020 by MLBrumby

[opendrawerwhore]

What about I-24W from Nashville to KY stateline... through Clarksville.  It's only 2 lanes.  I cringe every time I go through there.  Not enough lanes to handle the volume.

[smeagolsfree]

7 hours ago, opendrawerwhore said:

What about I-24W from Nashville to KY stateline... through Clarksville.  It's only 2 lanes.  I cringe every time I go through there.  Not enough lanes to handle the volume.

Yep, that is one of the portions I mentioned. Its amazing the Improve Act was supposed to jump start all of these state road projects, but as usual it seems TDOT under estimated the funds and under estimated the cost. The list of projects will take twice as long now. I really think it is high time the state goes into a debt to solve some of these issues.

By the time they get the list done there will be three times as many projects needing to be done.

They can also do toll roads but most of the politicians are scared they will lose their seat if they do.

[BnaBreaker]

1 hour ago, smeagolsfree said:

Yep, that is one of the portions I mentioned. Its amazing the Improve Act was supposed to jump start all of these state road projects, but as usual it seems TDOT under estimated the funds and under estimated the cost. The list of projects will take twice as long now. I really think it is high time the state goes into a debt to solve some of these issues.

By the time they get the list done there will be three times as many projects needing to be done.

They can also do toll roads but most of the politicians are scared they will lose their seat if they do.

I feel like I-840 is a perfect toll road candidate.

[markhollin]

TriStar HealthStream Brentwood (6 stories) update.  Framing under way.

Looking NW from intersection of Old Hickory Blvd. and Seven Springs Way:

 

Looking SW from Seven Springs Way, 1/2 block south of Old Hickory Blvd:

[opendrawerwhore]

1 hour ago, smeagolsfree said:

Yep, that is one of the portions I mentioned. Its amazing the Improve Act was supposed to jump start all of these state road projects, but as usual it seems TDOT under estimated the funds and under estimated the cost. The list of projects will take twice as long now. I really think it is high time the state goes into a debt to solve some of these issues.

By the time they get the list done there will be three times as many projects needing to be done.

They can also do toll roads but most of the politicians are scared they will lose their seat if they do.

State should've started the I-840 northern loop....

[MidTenn1]

12 minutes ago, opendrawerwhore said:

State should've started the I-840 northern loop....

Talk to former Governor Phil Bredeson about that. It was his call and his call only.

[markhollin]

Hill Center Brentwood, Phase II (5 story/141 room hotel,  3 story/84,000 sq. ft. office building w/ 19,000 sq. ft. of retail) update.

Hotel foundation in place.  Looking SW from intersection of Maryland Way and East Park Drive:

Office Building exterior complete.  Looking west from interior of the complex:

[markhollin]

Spring Hill Suites and retail center in Brentwood (3 & 4 stories, 134 rooms) update.  Complete and open.

Looking north from Fierson St., 1/2 block north of Church Street East:

Looking SW from Fierson St., 1/4 block north of Town Center Way:

Looking SE from roundabout at Wilson Pike Circle and Town Center Way:

[markhollin]

5501 Virginia Way, Building 2 (5 stories, 109,000 sq. ft. office space) update.  Up to 4th level.

Looking SW from Virginia Way, 1/2 block east of Granny White Pike: