NASHVILLE, TENN. (WTVF) — The Tennessee Dept. of Transportation is slapping contractors with tens of thousands of dollars in fines after overnight roadwork went long on multiple projects this week.
Drivers in Donelson experienced traffic jams on Tuesday and Wednesday due to two different projects. It's an area where TDOT data show some 150,000 drivers drive every day.
It started Tuesday when TDOT says Superior Construction was conducting a complicated traffic shift on I-40 for the new Donelson Pike interchange project.
The crew says it took longer than expected, going three hours past the 4 a.m. cut-off time. For those three hours, they're facing more than $22,500 in fines.
And TDOT says Jones Brothers Construction has run late multiple times on the Briley Pkwy resurfacing project, including on Tuesday and Wednesday, when they say equipment issues made them miss their 5 a.m. deadline.
Drivers noticed the ramps to Briley Pkwy from I-40, Lebanon Pike and Elm Hill were blocked during rush hour, and some even knocked down the cones and entered Briley Pkwy anyway. Work was not active at the time.
Jones Brothers is facing a running tally of $26,000 in fines on the resurfacing project so far.
Generally, overnight road work on major roads like interstates wraps up by 5 a.m. unless there are special circumstances.
