Portion of State Route 249 Damaged in Floods to Close Until Late 2010

NASHVILLE – Beginning Monday, August 23, 2010, a section of State Route 249 in Cheatham County will close for several months as crews remove and rebuild a portion of the road damaged during the May floods.  Heavy rains during the flood event saturated the ground underneath the pavement, causing a section of the roadway to collapse and slide down a steep embankment.

 

During the closure, traffic will be detoured around the landslide area, which is located along State Route 249 between U.S. Highway 70 and Marshall Woodard Road.  Through traffic will be diverted to State Route 251 (River Road), then to U.S. Highway 70.  Local traffic will still be able to utilize a number of local roads located off State Route 249, including Marshall Woodard Road and Old Charlotte Pike.

 

Contract crews will remove an approximate 400-foot section of State Route 249, and will excavate up to 85 feet of material beneath the roadway surface.  Once the material is removed, it will be replaced by several tons of rock, a layer of geotextile fabric, base stone and new pavement. The repairs are expected to be complete by December 2010.  

 

“We understand this closure will be inconvenient for motorists who routinely travel State Route 249 through this area, but in order to ensure motorists’ safety we cannot have traffic running on the roadway while the excavation work is underway,” said TDOT Region Three Director Winston Gaffron. “We will work as quickly and safely as possible to rebuild and reopen the roadway.”

 

For more information on TDOT construction project activity visit the TDOT SmartWay web site at www.tn.gov/tdot/tdotsmartway/. Travelers can also dial 5-1-1 from any land-line or cell phone for travel information or can follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/TN511 for statewide travel information or www.twitter.com/Nashville511 for traffic information in the Nashville area. Motorists are reminded to use all motorist information tools responsibly. Drivers should refrain from texting, tweeting or using a mobile phone while operating a vehicle. TDOT advises drivers to “Know before you go!” by checking traffic conditions before leaving for your destination.