NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — The new $9.2 billion I-24 choice lanes project is raising concerns among South Nashville residents who fear they could lose their homes to make room for the expansion.
Families in the Glen Cliff community say the anxiety is taking a toll as they wait to learn how the project will affect their neighborhood.
Allen Dyer, a Glen Cliff resident, said the project could threaten everything the community has built.
"What can we expect from the construction? How dirty will it be? How polluting will it be? How noisy will it be? How miserable can it make life for people who live here?"
Some of his neighbors have already received letters saying they could lose their homes to make room for the project.
"I think they have a lot of anxiety. I think they're quite upset by this whole prospect. I mean, it's their community. They live here, sort of being forced out of our community," Dyer said.
Drive-TN will build two optional lanes in each direction along 26 miles of I-24 between Nashville and Murfreesboro. Existing lanes will remain free for all drivers. The company's design saves newly constructed townhomes across the street from Dyer's home, and the Bell Road design also preserves the new Pan-Asia Supermarket.
Still, Dyer said uncertainty remains.
"That's a little bit of relief for us, but I think there's still a lot of concern and a lot of anxiety. We don't really know how this thing is going to pass through this. We don't see how it's going to make the neighborhood nicer," Dyer said.
Dyer raised these concerns during a public meeting about the choice lanes. TDOT Commissioner Will Reid responded, saying the right-of-way process will follow federal law.
"There is a process where we will sit down with those property owners that are impacted, just like one of the gentlemen that talked today. And we will go through what that impact looks like. And honestly, the best way for us to address that is to avoid it whenever we can. Sometimes that can't be helped, but that's our first line of defense there is to avoid," Reid said.
Dyer said he can only hope decision-makers truly hear his community.
"I want them to understand how we feel," Dyer said.
The project will use dynamic pricing, meaning toll costs will fluctuate based on demand. Construction is expected to begin in 2027 and take about eight years to complete.
TDOT will host public meetings Sept. 8 at the Nashville Public Library Pruitt Branch and Sept. 9 at the Smyrna Event Center, both from 12:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., to answer questions and address concerns.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at Patsy.Montesinos@NewsChannel5.com
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