Officials Open New Flyover Ramp on I-40/Briley Parkway Interchange Recovery Act Project |
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Topics: Interstate Highway System
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Federal Highway Administration
September 17, 2010
FHWA 46-10
Contact: Nancy Singer
Friday, September 17, 2010
Phone: 202-366-0660
Second largest Recovery Act Project in Tennessee Reaches Major Milestone
NASHVILLE - Drivers in Nashville will experience smoother and less congested travel with the opening of the new flyover ramp on the I-40/Briley Parkway interchange, a project that had been delayed until American Recovery and Reinvestment Act dollars were made available.
The project, which links I-40 East to Briley Parkway North, received $32 million in Recovery Act dollars, the second largest Recovery Act project in the state.
"This ramp opened today because of Recovery Act dollars," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. "The I-40 Briley Parkway interchange project is a great example of what the Recovery Act was designed to do - put people back to work and restore our transportation infrastructure."
The I-40/Briley Parkway interchange project is located just west of downtown Nashville, in a rapidly growing area of the city. The interchange provides direct access to several distribution hubs located off Briley Parkway, including Fed Ex and UPS. An estimated 42,000 vehicles use the interchange each day.
"The Recovery Act is delivering transportation projects that otherwise would have remained on the shelf," said Federal Highway Administrator Victor Mendez, who attended the opening. "Instead of half-finished highways and interchanges, these funds are bringing projects to completion and making communities more livable all around the country."
The second phase of project, which began in July 2009, was delayed until Recovery Act funding was available. Expected to be complete in August 2011, it also includes a new ramp from Briley Parkway South to I-40 West, noise barrier walls, and the replacement of the White Bridge Road Bridge over I-40.
"The new interchange ramp from I-40 east to Briley Parkway will help reduce congestion through this heavily traveled area and will contribute to continued economic development in west Nashville," said Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen. "Funding constraints could have delayed this project and many others for years, but the Recovery Act funds allowed the state to make this investment in our infrastructure."
The first phase, completed in 2005, included new flyover ramps from Interstate 40 West to Briley Parkway North and from Briley Parkway South to I-40 East, and was completed in 2005.
Of the $26.6 billion in ARRA highway money available nationwide, Tennessee's share is $573 million. To date, Tennessee has obligated $567 million for 318 projects. As of September 3, 154 are underway and 163 are completed.