TN.gov Newsroom

Nashville, TN—Governor Phil Bredesen announced today that the state will provide an Aeronautics Grant in the amount of $300,000 to the Winchester Municipal Airport to assist with improvements to the facility.

Nashville, Tenn. – The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) will halt all interstate and major road construction during the busy Christmas and New Year’s holiday travel period. TDOT Commissioner Gerald Nicely instructed contractors to end all construction related lane closures Thursday, December 21, 2006 at midnight. Construction will resume Tuesday, January 2, 2007 at 6 a.m.

Nashville, Tennessee – Tennessee roadways are some of the best in the nation according to a national magazine representing the industry that uses the roads the most – truck drivers. This is the eighth year in a row Overdrive Magazine has named Tennessee’s highways among the top five in the nation, in addition Interstate 40 in Tennessee is listed as the best road in the nation. This year, Tennessee is ranked third nation-wide behind Texas and Florida.

Traffic Can Now Travel From Summit Hill Drive to Broadway

Knoxville, Tenn. – Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) officials and local leaders cut the ribbon on the new Hall of Fame Drive Thursday, December 14 officially opening the roadway to traffic. The 1.2 mile stretch of road between Summit Hill Drive and Broadway and I-40 will be one of the primary arteries for traveling downtown from I-40 after the James White Parkway is closed for reconstruction on December 17. The new five-lane Hall of Fame Drive includes new sidewalks, bike lanes, landscaping and two new bridges. Construction began on Hall of Fame Drive in May 2005.

Knoxville, Tenn. — The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) announced today that James White Parkway will close to traffic on Sunday, December 17. James White Parkway is scheduled to reopen in September 2007. During this timeframe, several existing bridges and ramps will be demolished and six new bridges and four new ramps will be constructed comprising more than two miles of new roadway.
As part of the SmartFix40 project, the current westbound entrance ramp to I-40, which has caused numerous accidents over the years, will be relocated. When complete, the ramp will be located on the north side of I-40 instead of the current south side location. The relocation of the ramp to the north side will allow for a safer flow of traffic onto I-40. During construction, eastbound and westbound motorists on I-40 will be able to use the new Hall of Fame Drive to get downtown.

Nashville, Tenn. – Tennessee Department of Transportation Governor’s Highway Safety Office (TDOT/GHSO) joined state and local law enforcement and safety advocates today to remember the 397 people killed in alcohol or drug-related crashes in 2005. The event was held in conjunction with the Tennessee Sheriffs’ Association Meeting at the Millennium Maxwell House Hotel.

Nashville, Tenn. – The Tennessee Department of Transportation’s (TDOT) maintenance forces are committed to keeping the state’s interstates, U.S. highways and state routes clear during the upcoming winter season.

Demolition and Reconstruction Begin Immediately

Knoxville, Tenn. — The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) announced today that the Church Avenue Bridge in downtown Knoxville will close Monday, December 4 at 6 a.m. The current structure spans over James White Parkway and Central Avenue. It was built in 1936 and has been given a ‘poor’ rating by TDOT structures division. The bridge will be demolished to make way for a new bridge that is expected to be completed in September 2007.

Nashville, TN — The Tennessee Department of Transportation will hold training sessions in December for communities interested in applying for a Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program grant. The recently announced Safe Routes to School program will provide grants to state, local and regional agencies for projects designed to encourage walking and biking among elementary and middle school children.

TDOT 1-800 Construction Hotline Discontinued

Nashville, Tenn. — Three months after the launch of Tennessee 511, travelers are turning to the motorist information line in record numbers. A quarter million calls have flooded into 511 since the launch of the system on August 14, 2006. At the end of the Thanksgiving holiday weekend (midnight Sunday), Tennessee 511 has logged 268,416 calls putting it on track to hit a million calls within the first year of operation.