TDOT Awards Contract on Final State Route 840 Project

NASHVILLE – Construction on the final section of State Route 840 is set to begin. Tennessee Department of Transportation Commissioner Gerald Nicely awarded a construction contract on the final portion of State Route 840 on Friday, February 19.  The award comes after careful analysis of the eleven qualifying bids opened on February 5.  Eubank Asphalt Paving & Sealing of Charlotte, TN submitted the low bid of $55.1 million, and will begin construction of the road in the coming weeks. The project includes the construction of SR 840 from just west of Bending Chestnut Road to west of Leipers Creek Road in Williamson County, as well as the paving of SR 840 from SR 100 to SR 46 (Pinewood Road).

 

“This is a real milestone for the department of Transportation,” said Governor Phil Bredesen. “The completion of State Route 840 will improve access to communities in the mid-state, provide increased economic growth potential, and give motorists a convenient alternate route around Nashville.”

 

“We are pleased to be moving forward with the final section of State Route 840, a project which vividly demonstrates the improvements TDOT has made in the way the department does business,” said TDOT Commissioner Gerald Nicely. “We have worked closely with partners in the environmental community, including the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, and a citizen’s resource team to design and now construct a roadway that serves an important transportation purpose while being responsive to community concerns.”

 

Two other State Route 840 projects are already underway in Williamson County. With the addition of the final project, 18 miles of SR840 are now under construction.  Work on the portion of SR 840 from SR 100 to SR 46 (Pinewood Road) began in July 2007 and is expected to be open to traffic by October 31, 2010.  The other project, which stretches from Leipers Creek Road to State Route 6 (US 31/Columbia Pike), began in early 2009 with a goal of opening the roadway by the fall of 2012.

 

Planning for State Route 840 began in 1986 as part of the state’s Better Roads Program. In September 2003, construction on the roadway was stopped due to environmental and other concerns.  TDOT totally reworked the remaining sections of SR840 utilizing the Context Sensitive Solutions approach. The three final sections of SR 840 were designed with the help of a Citizen Resource Team comprised of concerned citizens and property owners. The team assisted in the selection of the alignment of the road, bridge design, and aesthetic features. The remaining projects are being constructed under stringent guidelines designed to protect the environment. The SR 840 projects have been the driving force behind monumental changes in the way TDOT handles large construction projects across the state.

 

State Route 840 is open to traffic from US 31 in Williamson County to I-40 in Wilson County, and from I-40 in Dickson County to SR 100.  Once complete, it will provide a connection between Interstate 40 in Wilson County to I-40 in Dickson County with connections to both Interstate 65, and Interstate 24.  A map detailing the completed and under construction segments of SR 840 is attached to this release.  For more information, please visit www.tn.gov/tdot/sr840s/default.htm.

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