State Route 109 Portland Bypass

Sumner County

Overview

The proposed project includes construction of a new segment of State Route 109 from the existing route, south of the City of Portland near State Route 76, bypassing the City of Portland and connecting back to State Route 109 north of the city in Sumner County.

The Portland Bypass will complement the other improvements that have been completed or are currently being planned and/or developed to improve safety and mobility along the entire State Route 109 corridor.

Purpose and Need

The Portland Bypass is a part of a larger effort to improve safety and mobility along the heavily traveled SR 109 corridor. SR 109 is a strategic corridor, serving as the primary north-south connector between I-65 in Robertson and Sumner Counties and I-40 in Wilson County, northeast of downtown Nashville.

The bypass is designed to improve traffic flow and reduce congestion on SR 109 through Portland, as well as providing regional accessibility to the interstate highway system. It would also address concerns with local growth and increased traffic, serving current and future transportation needs.

Design

The Portland Bypass project includes the construction of a four-lane, partial access controlled facility extending west of downtown Portland from existing SR-109 south of SR-76, northward to existing SR 109 (North Broadway) north of downtown Portland. Each of the four traffic lanes would be 12 feet wide. Outside shoulders would be 12 feet wide (10-foot paved, 2-foot gravel) and inside shoulders would be 6 feet wide (4-foot paved, 2-foot gravel), as part of 48-foot grass median. The project length is 7.2 miles, and the right-of-way width is approximately 250 feet.

Various design options, or build alternatives, were studied regarding the construction of the proposed Portland Bypass. Outlined below are the specific design features of the Selected Build Alternative.

  • Flyover Ramp
    • A flyover ramp is proposed at the southern end of the project to provide unimpeded access for southbound traffic on the existing SR 109 to merge with bypass traffic before continuing south on SR 109.
  • SR 52/Portland Bypass Interchange
    • A grade-separated, partial folded diamond interchange is proposed at SR 52, with most ramps located south of SR 52. The exit ramp from the southbound bypass lanes to SR 52 would be located in the northwest quadrant of the interchange.
  • At-Grade Access Points (Existing Connector Roads)*
    • The proposed design includes several access points where the bypass intersects with SR 76, Jackson Road, Collins Road (west of bypass), College Street, T.G.T. Road, and Kenwood Drive (west of bypass).
  • At–Grade Access Points (New Connector Roads)*
    • Kirby Drive – Existing Kirby Drive would be extended westward to connect to the bypass on a new alignment. This new connector would serve truck traffic traveling to and from the industrial/warehousing facilities located in the Kirby Drive vicinity, as well as residents and businesses within the northern sections of Portland.
    • Woods Road – Existing Woods Road would be shifted southward to connect to the bypass directly across from Kenwood Drive, providing a more perpendicular intersection than the current SR 109/Woods Road intersection. This new connector would also provide direct access to the bypass for a proposed fire station near the existing SR 109/Woods Road intersection.

*The locations and types of traffic control features, such as traffic signals and stop signs, for intersecting roadways would be determined during the final design phase and based on traffic projections and other design factors.

  • SR 52 Widening and Sidewalk Construction
    • A section of SR 52 would be widened to five lanes from near West Market Street (westward) to west of the proposed SR 52/bypass interchange. Widening is needed to accommodate the expected increase in traffic on that section of SR 52 once the bypass is constructed.
    • As part of the proposed bypass project and widening of SR 52, sidewalks would be considered along a portion of the widened SR 52. Sidewalks constructed between West Market Street and Searcy Lane would correspond with existing and planned sidewalks within the City of Portland. Final plans for sidewalks would be determined during the final design phase and in coordination with local officials.

Due to the significant cost estimate to appraise and acquire Right of Way within the project limits, the proposed improvements will be separated into two smaller sections or phases. 

  • Northern Segment: existing SR 109, north of Portland, to proposed intersection with SR 52
  • Southern Segment: proposed intersection with SR 52 to existing SR 109, south of Portland near SR 76

SR109