LEBANON, Tenn. (WTVF) — Lebanon, Tennessee, home to 51,000 people, is experiencing growing pains as rapid population growth transforms this once-quiet community into a bustling hub.
I live here on a piece of land out on Tater Peeler Road, away from the hustle and bustle of a busy town square full of restaurants and shops. Through my Facebook page, I regularly connect with residents about what's on their minds, and one of the most frequent concerns across middle Tennessee centers around growth and development.
The population of Lebanon spiked so fast that the city conducted its own special census in 2023 to count all the folks who've moved to town since the official census in 2020.
Traffic concerns mount with population surge
With all that growth comes more people on the roads, whether in cars or on bicycles. While some residents say biking around Lebanon remains relatively safe, traffic congestion is becoming a real issue.
"The traffic, you have to leave 15 minutes early just to get to the gym because school time or around work hours," said one resident.
I took these concerns to the Tennessee Department of Transportation and found that traffic volume on I-40, which runs through the heart of Lebanon, increased by about 3% between 2022 and 2024. That may not sound like much, but it represents quite a few more drivers.
Industrial development brings mixed reactions
The increased traffic also reflects more industries and businesses coming to the area. Earlier this year, developers broke ground on a new industrial park in Lebanon called "The Cubes at Sparta Pike," which will house several manufacturing facilities.
Brooke Seabright, one of the owners of the Lebanon Coffee House just off the Historic Square in downtown, said all the growth she's seeing is both a blessing and a curse.
"I like it because you don't have to drive to Mount Juliet or go out for things which we had to do in the beginning," Seabright said.
"But also, I don't like the fact that it takes away from, like the country feel of what Lebanon really is."
Residents fight to preserve farmland
Some Lebanon neighbors feel so compelled to keep farmland intact that one group organized a tractor parade protest to speak out against rezoning farmland to make it industrial. That measure ultimately failed.
Development is something Seabright is concerned about as Lebanon transforms before her eyes.
"And so it's like, that's the sad part about growth is losing some of those beautiful, you know, properties and acreage, like people selling off for like these big industrial things," Seabright said.
"And that's kind of, because it really does change the feel, you know, of what Lebanon is."
But despite the growing pains, she knows one thing for certain—
"People are coming to Lebanon because it's a great place to live. It really is," Seabright said.
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I'm so thankful Robb Coles highlighted the Kamer Davis clinic in Hermitage and the hardship that may force its closure. The clinic provides care for patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities and there is no other place like it nearby. You can tell the staff is so passionate about the care they provide. I hope by shining the light on this, the right person can step in and make a difference.
- Carrie Sharp
