Bredesen Breaks Ground on Recovery Act Project in Nashville

NASHVILLE – Governor Phil Bredesen joined TDOT Commissioner Gerald Nicely, Senator Douglas Henry, Representative Gary Odom, Mayor Karl Dean and other state and local officials in Nashville today to break ground on Phase II of the Interstate 40-White Bridge Road interchange improvement project. The project is being totally funded through money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

 

“This project will enhance Nashville’s already excellent transportation system,” said Governor Bredesen. “It will improve access to Interstate 40 and Briley Parkway and will contribute to continued economic development in West Nashville. I’m pleased the Recovery Act is providing the funds necessary to move this project forward and keep more Tennesseans on the job.”

 

The project will include the construction of two fly-over ramps to and from I-40 and Briley Parkway, three noise barriers, the replacement of the White Bridge Road bridge over I-40, five retaining walls, and the replacement of the pedestrian bridge located just west of the interchange. The $32 million project is scheduled to be complete by late summer 2011 and is expected to employee nearly 350 workers.

 

Congressman Jim Cooper said, "Recovery Act investments are helping Tennesseans overcome the most serious economic problems we've faced in decades. This project and others like it help working families and small businesses, and they help our economy get back on its feet again." 

 

“Funding constraints could have delayed this project and many others for years,” stated Commissioner Nicely. “The Recovery Act funds are not only allowing us to make these major improvements to our infrastructure, but also to keep more Tennesseans employed on projects just like this one.”

 

Phase I of the I-40/White Bridge Road Interchange improvement project was completed in 2005, and greatly improved safety, efficiency, and the flow of traffic. TDOT traffic counts estimate 42,000 vehicles use this interchange each day, in addition to the 100,000 vehicles that travel this stretch of I-40 daily.

 

“The continued improvements to this interchange will provide countless benefits for the people who live and work in this area,” said Senator Douglas Henry. “I’m pleased that Recovery Act funds could be used to construct the second phase of this project.”

 

Representative Gary Odom added, “This project will not only improve traffic flow in this area, the noise barriers will provide some much needed peace and quiet for the residents who live along this stretch of I-40. I want to thank Governor Bredesen and Commissioner Nicely for their commitment to these crucial efforts.”

 

“The state of the art fly-over ramps will help alleviate congestion along White Bridge Road,” agreed Nashville Mayor Karl Dean. “The project will also help replace an aging bridge with a new, safer, more modern structure.”

 

TDOT staff considered several factors in determining which projects would be funded by the Recovery Act. The most important was that a project be ready to go to construction by July. TDOT also gave consideration to projects that can be completed in three years and are in economically distressed areas. TDOT plans to let all ARRA funded projects by July, which means nearly two hundred ARRA funded projects will be underway this summer. Some 24,000 direct and indirect jobs are estimated to be created or maintained through Recovery Act infrastructure funding in Tennessee.

 

For more information on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, visit www.recovery.gov or visit www.tn.gov/tdot and click on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act link in the middle of the page.