Dickson Residents Grapple with Growth Issues on Congested Corridor

The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) is considering a possible southwest Dickson bypass route. In particular, TDOT is interested in relieving the often congested Highway 46. However, residents are concerned with potential problems a new bypass route could pose. TDOT has presented Dickson with different route options—all of which would affect land owners, but other alternatives such as Transportation Systems Management (TSM) and a no build option are also on the table.

TSM is a strategy of making existing infrastructure more efficient through tools such as additional turn lanes, consolidation of commercial entries and exits, and Traffic System Interconnection, which synchronizes traffic lights for better traffic flow.

Other factors that TDOT will need to consider if a bypass route is chosen is groundwater contamination associated with the Dickson landfill. In particular, the East and West Piney River steams which are considered “high water quality.” An additional concern regarding the bypass routes, brought by residents, is the potential harm of upsetting the community’s rural setting and character.

Many communities across the region and state are faced with difficult transportation planning choices. CRT works with and supports communities through comprehensive planning and quality growth strategies that help communities to address long term growth challenges related to transportation, infrastructure and open space conservation.

Comprehensive planning is often the first tool in allowing communities to plan for future growth and development in their own vision, which makes important links between transportation and land use and allows for more decision making upfront while reducing potential conflicts down the road. In addition, CRT work with communities to adopt quality growth strategies that focus on conserving open space, reducing government costs and supporting existing communities and businesses first.

View the entire 320-page bypass route report

Southwest Dickson Bypass EIS

From US-70 (SR-1) to SR-46 and/or I-40

Project Description

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) have prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969. This document includes a Purpose and Need statement, a range of proposed alternatives and the effects of the proposed project.

The DEIS discusses alternatives to build a bypass around the southwest side of the city of Dickson, Tennessee, or to make Transportation System Management (TSM) improvements on existing roadways in Dickson. Also included in this DEIS is the no-build alternative. Dickson is located in Dickson County, which is approximately 40 miles west of Nashville, Tennessee.

There is currently only one primary route connecting the western and southern areas of Dickson: US-70 to SR-46. This route carries vehicles through the urban center of Dickson where travel speeds are low. Current traffic studies show roadway capacity failures for morning traffic by 2032 for the No-Build alternative at the intersection of SR-46 (Mathis Drive) and SR-235 (College Street). Other intersections would be close to failure by 2032 for the No-Build Alternative for morning or afternoon traffic including the SR-46 and I-40 westbound on/off ramp. Current crash data indicates that there are higher than average crash rates in the project area on SR-1 (US 70) and SR-46. It is anticipated that the reduction in traffic volume would result in reduced crash rates.