NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Construction equipment will soon arrive at Radnor Lake State Park to repair damage dating back to the 2010 floods, limiting access to the popular loop trail for several months.
The state-funded project will stabilize Otter Creek Road, which was damaged by landslides during the historic flooding nearly 15 years ago.
"It's really like heaven on earth. You can walk it and you'll see every animal, every critter," said one park visitor.
The beloved wildlife area shows visible scars from the 2010 disaster, with recent weather events highlighting the urgent need for repairs.
"This occurred in the last 30 to 60 days that occurred after one of these heavy downpours. This is a great image of why this project is so essential and critical we get this done. That's why we're so thankful of the funding and support has come to do it," said Steve Ward, park manager.
Landslides caused most of the damage to the park's infrastructure.
"This was impassable at that time. We got that open after 31 days of work," Ward said.
The delay in repairs was partly intentional to protect the park's wildlife, including a nesting pair of bald eagles.
"We chose to push the project back a few months just to accommodate eagle nesting this year to make sure the road construction and fix was not any kind of hindrance to the eagles' nest," Ward said.
Construction will begin May 19 and continue through October 2025. The project will stabilize the road, replace gates with guardrails, and make the path more accessible to wheelchairs and strollers.
"It's absolutely optimism. We've been looking forward to this day since we got the road turned over to the state in 2004," Ward said. "The goal is to get it right. I think we got it right. We're very confident in that."
While regular visitors acknowledge the inconvenience, they understand the necessity.
"It does need to happen," said a park visitor.
Beginning May 19, crews will restripe the west parking area by the visitor center, install silt fencing along Otter Creek Road, and begin moving equipment to the site. Starting June 2, parking along Otter Creek on the hill up to the lake will be unavailable, reducing normal parking capacity by about one-third.
ADA parking on the dam will be closed during construction, but will still be provided in the west parking area. The park's automated wheelchair program will remain available with reservations.
Activities such as jogging, dog walking, and bicycling will be limited to less than half a mile from both the west and east parking areas due to the closure of Otter Creek Road adjacent to the lake. Hikers can still circle the lake using the South Lake Trail instead of Otter Creek Road.
This story was reported by Amanda Roberts and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
What improvements would you like to see at Radnor Lake beyond these repairs? Email me at Amanda.Roberts@NewsChannel5.com
