TN.gov Newsroom

February 3, 2012

 

Nashville, Tenn. – The Tennessee Department of Transportation Governor’s Highway Safety Office, Tennessee Titans and Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security are once again teaming up to remind Tennessee football fans that real Fans Don’t Let Fans Drive Drunk this Super Bowl weekend. 

 

“If your Super Bowl game plan includes celebrating with alcohol make sure you have a sober, designated driver,” said TDOT Commissioner John Schroer. “Law enforcement officials will be working overtime to ensure that Tennessee’s roads are safe, so if you drink and drive this weekend, chances are you’ll be caught.”

 

NASHVILLE— The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) announced today that state aeronautics grants totaling $94,900 have been approved for 3 Tennessee airports.

 

Airports receiving grants include:

 

Fayetteville Municipal Airport

Gibson County Airport

Shelbyville Municipal Airport

 

For more details on each of these grants visit:  

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) today awarded an emergency contract to remove debris and unstable rock from Interstate 40 West in Cocke County. Currently, the westbound lanes of the interstate are closed at Mile Marker 451.

 

The Department received bids from four different contractors, with Phillips and Jordan, Inc. of Knoxville submitting the lowest bid of $59,350.

 

The contractor is expected to begin work at the site of the rockslide on Thursday afternoon. TDOT anticipates being able to reopen the interstate by Monday, February 6.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Both lanes of Interstate 40 West in Cocke County have been closed following an early morning rockslide between Mile Markers 450 and 451.

 

Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) Geotechnical Engineers are continuing to evaluate the slide and are currently developing a plan to stabilize the mountainside. An emergency contract will also be initiated to clean-up debris from this morning’s slide.

 

There is currently no estimate for when I-40 West will reopen.

NASHVILLE– The official 2012 Tennessee Transportation Map is now available to assist travelers in their planning efforts. This year’s map contains a Quick Response code (QR code) that will allow users to scan and link to TDOT’s mobile web application, TDOT SmartWay Mobile.

 

“The state map is an important tool for travelers and this new feature will provide an added convenience by allowing motorists to quickly access real-time traffic information using their smartphones,” said TDOT Commissioner John Schroer. “The map is free and is also available at welcome centers and rest areas across the state.” 

 

NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam today announced Safe Routes to School funding totaling $1.6 for ten municipalities in Tennessee. The funds will be used by multiple schools to improve sidewalks, crosswalks, signs and safe walking and biking educational activities. The Safe Routes to School Program is a statewide initiative designed to make bicycling and walking to school a safer, more appealing and healthier alternative for students in kindergarten through eighth grade.

 

“Safety is a crucial component in our efforts to promote a healthier lifestyle for Tennessee children,” Haslam said. “The Safe Routes to School Program helps create safer walking and biking environments for students and funds activities to encourage children and their parents to increase their physical activity.”

Drivers are advised to use the Olgiati Bridge or the Veterans Bridge as alternate routes while the Market Street Bridge is closed. Should inclement weather or unforeseen circumstances delay the inspection, it will be rescheduled to take place at a later date.

Chattanooga, Tenn. – TDOT contract crews implemented a new traffic configuration on U.S. 27 South overnight as part of the major project underway to reconstruct the 1.6 mile section of the U.S. 27 corridor from the north end of the Olgiati Bridge over the Tennessee River to U.S. 127 (Signal Mtn. Blvd.).

 

Project construction plans call for vehicles on U.S. 27 South to merge into one lane on the bridge over Signal Mtn. Blvd., while vehicles entering U.S. 27 South from Signal Mtn. Blvd. will use a dedicated lane to access the corridor. This is because our average daily traffic counts show that approximately half of all traffic enters U.S. 27 South from Signal Mtn. Blvd., while the other half of traffic volume comes from north of Signal Mtn. Blvd.

Nashville, TN – Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) Commissioner John Schroer names Tanisha Johnson Hall, AICP, as the new Long Range Planning Division Director. In her new post, Hall will oversee the division which identifies transportation needs through analysis of travel and safety data, then engages communities to obtain public input on transportation investments. The Long Range Planning Division is comprised of the following four offices: Statewide Planning, Regional Planning, Research and Policy, and GIS Mapping and Facilities Data.

 

Ms. Hall has over 14 years of experience in Urban Planning, specializing in Transportation Planning and Research. She most recently served as Director of Research and Transportation at the Greater Nashville Regional Council.