Will Wilma Rudolph Blvd. traffic ever get better? Clarksville shares its improvement plans
An update of Clarksville's Transportation 2020+ provided Clarksville residents a look inside future projects to alleviate traffic, which includes major adjustments to Wilma Rudolph Boulevard.
During a Clarksville City Council non-voting session of on Monday, the city council and Clarksville residents were updated on Mayor Joe Pitts' Transportation 2020+ plan.
"As we rolled out the Transportation Plan three years ago, we wanted a plan that was equitable and also forward-thinking," said Pitts. "The goal (of the presentation) is to give the council and the public a comprehensive look at what's going on in our city."
Pitts' transportation plan is a "strategic document designed to guide transportation decisions" to improve the continuous traffic congestion and make Clarksville a more walkable city with expansions to busy streets and additional and better sidewalks.
The presentation was led by David Smith, Interim Director of the Clarksville Street Department, who provided the council and public with details on the projects that have been completed, and those to expect to begin as early as Fall 2023.
Following the presentation, Lauren Winters, City Grants Director, discussed grant funding related to the Transportation 2020+ plan. With most road projects in the millions and sidewalks starting in the thousands, a thought on some taxpayers is "how much is this costing?"
Since September 2022, the city of Clarksville has applied for seven street-related grants, with another expected to be submitted by the end of the week. So far, Clarksville has received a grant from Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) and Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG) from the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT).
The biggest project residents can expect to see.
Spring Creek Parkway
Spring Creek Parkway is the largest project Clarksville has undertaken Smith said during his presentation and will be similar to the State Route 109 bridge in Gallantin.
This project establishes a major new connector road between high-density areas of Trenton Road and Ted Crozier Boulevard linking Wilma Rudolph Boulevard in an effort to relieve congestion.
Phase 1, which is currently underway will connect Trenton to Spring Creek Parkway and will add a new traffic light. Phase 2 will bring the bridge to Wilma Rudolph at the North Edgewood intersection, which will also with a new traffic light. Phase 3 will take the project from Wilma Rudolph to Ted Crozier Blvd behind the Govenor's Square Mall.
Phase 1 is underway, with an estimated deadline of winter 2024, starting Phase 2 which is expecting a 2026 completion. There isn't a timeline for Phase 3 at the moment.
In total, the project is expected to cost about $51 million, with $20 million coming from the Tennessee Department of Transportation for Phase 2, connecting Spring Creek Parkway to Wilma Rudolph.
The city's first roundabout
The transportation plan includes Clarksville's first roundabout.
Whitfield Road will have a new look with more lanes and a roundabout at the Needmore Road intersection, near Glenellen Elementary and Walmart Grocery.
Once complete, each side of the road will include five lanes before merging to three as the road continues. The roundabout will feature crosswalks and sidewalks will be on each side of the roads.
The work on this project began in Summer 2021 and is expected to be completed in Fall 2024, with an estimated cost of $13 million.
Changes at Wilma Rudolph Boulevard
The Transportation 2020+ plans to alleviate traffic means Clarksville residents will hopefully see some changes on Wilma Rudolph Boulevard. Along with a bridge coming to connect, Wilma Rudolph Blvd will be getting a new adaptive signal system.
With a TDOT grant, Wilma Rudolph will feature new traffic lights with AI so the lights to change automatically without someone having to go and manually do them.
"I'll give you an example if there's a closure on the interstate or something like that and traffic absolutely bottlenecks and backs up this greenlights the entirety of Wilma Rudolph to bleed traffic off of and alleviate," Smith said.
The new lights will "optimize signal timing, reduce travel time, delays and stoops." The estimated start time is Winter 2023, being completed in Fall 2024.
Other projects to expect
Sidewalks around the city to be more walkable, including some for CMCSS schools.
Exit 1 off Interstate 24 will soon be getting two traffic lights and lights that lighten the entire intersection.
Additional turning lanes at Ted Crozier Boulevard and Dunlop Lane intersection.
For a full look at projects happening with the Transportation plan, you can see the slideshow on the City of Clarksville's website, and to provide feedback on the streets of Clarksville, you can fill out a survey.
Reporter Kenya Anderson can be reached at kanderson@nashvill.gannett.com or on X at KenyaAnderson32.
This article originally appeared on Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle: Will Rudolph Blvd. traffic improve? Clarksville shares its road plans
