NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Residents of the Bradford Hills subdivision in Nashville are expressing frustration over the closure of their main entrance on Bradford Hills Drive, which has added significant time to their daily commutes and raised concerns about emergency vehicle access.
The Tennessee Department of Transportation closed the road until April as part of the Nolensville Pike Widening Project.
Click here for more information about that project.
The closure affects the primary entrance to the neighborhood off Nolensville Road, forcing residents to take a lengthy detour.
"Very frustrated, I mean extremely frustrated," said Kerri Novak, who lives in the Bradford Hills subdivision.
The detour requires residents to drive down to Holt Road and then navigate through the subdivision to reach their homes.
"Now it's at least 20 minutes added on to our drive," Novak said.
Multiple residents described the impact on their daily routines, with many citing similar time delays.
"It is definitely a longer commute, every single morning or evening," said neighbor Sydney Layne.
Another neighbor, JD Hart estimated the additional travel time at "a good 15 to 20 minutes.”
The closure has also affected local businesses, since it blocks foot traffic from the neighborhood, and folks who live in Bradford Hills would have to drive the entire detour to patronize the nearby shops.
Edley's BBQ, located nearby, reports decreased foot traffic from the neighborhood since the road closure began.
"We've been forced to get a little creative," said Elaina Fortunato, Edley's BBQ’s general manager.
The restaurant has responded by adding flags to their entrance and offering free delivery to Bradford Hills residents.
While some residents, like neighbor Phyllis Thompson, were prepared for the inconvenience, others have more serious concerns about emergency response times.
"Yeah it's inconvenient, but they told us months ago it was going to happen," Thompson said.
Novak and many other neighbors' biggest concern involves emergency vehicle access during the closure period, since they won’t be able to come through that main entrance.
"I'd like some possible way for emergency vehicles to come in and service us this way," Novak said.
"My biggest concern is about emergencies in our neighborhood, going 15, 20 minutes out of the way," said J.D. Hart.
When contacted about residents' concerns, TDOT officials provided a statement explaining their coordination efforts.
“We understand how disruptive road closures and subsequent detours can be. For this project, this section of Bradford Hills Drive must be closed to traffic to remove, rebuild, and elevate the road for the new alignment of Nolensville Pike (State Route 11). The elevation of Bradford Hills Drive needs to be raised approximately six feet, as this roadway currently has a significant slope downwards, away from the Nolensville Pike intersection. The final alignment must be flat for driver safety and to accommodate the crosswalk that will be installed. This is intricate work that involves working on multiple utility lines and storm drains.
When TDOT identifies detour routes, we consider the best possible option for motorists, taking into account traffic volume, safety, and time. Prior to beginning work on this portion of the project, TDOT’s contractor coordinated with Metro Office of Emergency Management, the Nashville Department of Transportation, and Metro Nashville Public Schools to communicate changes in bus routes and for the local agencies to establish incident management plans.”
The road closure is expected to remain in effect until April 2025 as construction continues on the Nolensville Pike Widening project.
This story was reported on-air by Robb Coles and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Coles verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at robb.coles@newschannel5.com.
If you're looking for a stocking stuffer, here's a cool idea from an autistic teen to help benefit the Nashville Zoo. I had a chance to see some of Will Woods' work as a judge for Bellevue's Holidays in the Vue Christmas parade.
- Lelan Statom
