The purpose of a Major Thoroughfare Plan is to guide future transportation and land use planning through the identification of both short and long-term transportation projects. While the primary focus of the plan is the list of projects, the study also includes an evaluation of the existing transportation system as well as projections for future conditions based on projected future traffic demands. In Brentwood, there are two primary challenges when considering future transportation related needs and projects. First, Brentwood's geographic location along I-65 between Nashville and Franklin/Cool Springs means that a significant portion of the future growth in traffic in and through Brentwood will be driven by land use decisions made by other entities. This then leads to the second challenge, which is how to accommodate future traffic demand, much of it from outside or flowing through Brentwood, without destroying the character of the community.
It is important to note that this plan and the projects in it is, like the City's six-year capital improvements plan, an ever evolving plan. Adoption of this plan does not commit the City to construct any improvements and some of the projects listed in the plan may never happen unless certain future land use decisions are made by the City Commission and the Planning Commission. For example, the projects related to a new I-65 interchange and extension of Murray Lane to such an interchange will not occur if the Turner property is never developed. However, having these projects listed in the plan is important as it serves as the basis for the City to require certain improvements should a development proposal for the Turner property ever come forward.
The original Brentwood 2020 Plan adopted in 1999 contained a list of 30 road improvement projects. At the time, this listing served as an update to the Major Thoroughfare Plan originally adopted in 1996. When the Brentwood 2020 Plan was updated in 2006, it included a status report on the original list of 30 projects, and several of the projects were deleted at that time. Projects deleted in 2006 included the Mallory Lane extension to Concord Road, realignment of Edmondson Pike to connect with Old Smyrna Road through what is now the Whetstone subdivision, the extension of Raintree Parkway west to Moores Lane, extension of Edmondson Pike south to Crockett Road, construction of a new east/west roadway between Sunset Road and Waller Road, and construction of a new north/south road between Concord Road and future McEwen Drive. Most of these were canceled due to approved residential development that either blocked the possibility of the project or provided alternative routes that made the project unnecessary. The Mallory Lane extension project was, of course, canceled following a citizen referendum.
The current 2020 Update effort included updates to the list of projects in the Major Thoroughfare Plan. Attached is the proposed list of 21 road projects and 13 bike and pedestrian projects, along with an associated map (see attached). Of the 21 road projects, 14 are continuation projects that were reflected in the original 2020 plan and continued in the 2006 update. These include the following projects:
| ID |
Existing Project Description |
| 1 |
Widen Granny White Pk from Virginia Way to Old Hickory Blvd |
| 2 |
Improve/Realign Old Smyrna Road |
| 3 |
Widen Wilson Pk from Concord Rd to Church St |
| 4 |
Old Smyrna Rd Extension |
| 5 |
Improve/Realign Johnson Chapel Rd to Belle Rive Dr |
| 6 |
Extend Jones Pkwy north to Old Smyrna Rd |
| 7 |
Improve/Realign Holly Tree Gap Rd |
| 8 |
Construct new interchange on I-65 |
| 9 |
Sunset Rd Extension |
| 10 |
Improve/Realign Ragsdale Rd |
| 11 |
Beech Grove Rd Connection to Liberty Church Rd |
| 12 |
Improve/Realign Sunset Rd |
| 13 |
Widen Moores Ln from Carothers Pkwy to Mallory Ln |
| 14 |
Improve/Realign Crockett Rd from Concord Rd to Wilson Pike |
The proposed update also includes seven (7) new projects as follows:
| ID |
New Project Description |
Comments |
| 15 |
Murray Ln/Wilson Pk Connector |
Solely development driven in association with new I-65 interchange (see ID #8) |
| 16 |
Green Hill Blvd Extension North |
From existing terminus in Whetstone subdivision to Old Smyrna Road |
| 17 |
McEwen Dr. Extension |
From Wilson Pike east to Pleasant Hill - in conjunction with City of Franklin |
| 18 |
Improve/Realign Pleasant Hill Rd |
From Split Log Road to Clovercroft |
| 19 |
Charity Dr Extension |
Planned as part of Traditions subdivision |
| 20 |
Ivy Crest Dr Extension |
Planned as part of Taramore subdivision |
| 21 |
Town Center Way Extension |
From Franklin Road to Eastpark |
Finally, six projects that were continued as part of the 2006 update have been deleted from this updated plan as follows:
| Deleted Project Description |
Comments |
| Extend Arrowhead Drive south to Raintree Parkway |
Deleted due to approval of Witherspoon subdivision and topography issues |
| Widen Concord Road from Wilson Pike to Crockett Road |
Project completed |
| Extend Carriage Hills Drive south to southern City boundary |
Deleted due to development of Smith Park |
| Improve/realign Split Log Road from Wilson Pike to eastern study boundary |
Project completed to eastern city limits. Future improvements beyond city limits subject to annexation and associated plan of services. |
| Widen Concord Road from Crockett Road to eastern study boundary |
Project nearing completion |
| Realign and improve Waller Road |
Minor widening improvements completed several years ago. No further improvements planned at this time. |
The plan also includes a series of identified bike and pedestrian improvement projects. Some of these would be associated with future road projects while others simply identify preferred corridors for expanded bike and pedestrian connectivity (i.e. between Granny White Pike and Franklin Road in the Maryland Farms area) with the actual route to be determined based on future infrastructure planning efforts.
The City Commission held a public hearing on the proposed Major Thoroughfare Plan at its September 12, 2016 meeting. Several residents made comments, mostly related to the planned extensions of Jones Parkway north to Old Smyrna Road and Sunset Road between the Courtside at Southern Woods and Wetherbrooke subdivisions. Both of these projects have been in the Major Thoroughfare Plan since the 1990's and are dependent upon proposed residential development being approved for currently undeveloped tracts of land. Both projects are designed to provide alternative route options for residents that are otherwise forced to use nearby major arterial roads (Wilson Pike and Concord Road). Also, it should be noted that both Jones Parkway in both Brentmeade and Annandale and Sunset Road in Bonbrook, Courtside, and Wetherbrooke were built to collector road standards with a wider (30') cross section in anticipation of these future connections. Failure to provide these connections in the future if/when development occurs will force the City Commission at that time to decide which direction the new subdivisions will open to and which will be dead ended.
The Planning Commission considered the proposed Major Thoroughfare Plan at its October 3, 2016 meeting. By a vote of 8 to 0, the Planning Commission recommended approval of the Major Thoroughfare Plan to the City Commission as presented, with no changes. |