It's a project that's been in the works since the mid 80s and now traffic is rolling across the newly completed 840. Traffic started flowing around 6pm tonight. The road project had its share of battles between funding cuts and problems trying to acquire the land. Over 2 decades of waiting over, as a long list of current and former state leaders officially open State Route 840. Governor Haslam and TDOT Commissioner Schroer joined U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander, former Governor Don Sundquist, and former Governor Winfield Dunn to celebrate the official opening of State Route 840 at a press conference and ribbon cutting today.

"This is obviously a very important day for the State," says Governor Haslam. "This project was in the works for a long, long time. A lot of people worked to make it happen, and I think it's really gonna add to the transportation and ease in the state and actually help our business community."

It took 26 years to complete the 78 mile stretch of highway that connects Wilson to Dickson County, and the project faced much controversy along the way, such as budgeting and environmental concerns. TDOT says the opening of State Route 840 will decrease commercial vehicle traffic and help ease congestion in downtown Nashville. This makes a big difference to those who live in communities surrounding Nashville.

"I live in Spring Hill and it's gonna make our access to Dickson a lot easier," says Phil Soholt. "We do a lot of business out there with our company. It's a trip that used to take 40-45 minutes. Now it will take about 15-20 minutes, plus it's a beautiful ride."

This portion of State Route 840 will be a scenic highway with no billboards, preserving the beautiful views. The completed project officially opened to drivers at 6pm this evening.
State Route 840 is Officially Open