Underpass Guarantees Safety when Crossing Railroad Tracks

Nashville’s Warner Parks system is one of the largest municipal parks in Tennessee, including the Edwin and the Percy Warner Parks, and is visited by close to a million people a year.

In 2014 the nonprofit preservationist organization Friends of Warner Parks purchased 250 acres of land, also known as the Burch Reserve. To get to the new expansion from the parking lot, however, visitors were required to cross the CSX train tracks, that run parallel to the highway. This was a safety concern that needed to be addressed, before opening the park to the public. The solution was a pedestrian tunnel as well as traffic signals.

The project was done in two phases. Phase one included the parking lot and traffic signals. In the second phase, Metro Nashville Parks and Recreation Department added the pedestrian tunnel. Approximately 100 LF long, the tunnel is designed with stone-faced retaining walls tying the slopes.

Working with Turn-Key Tunneling, DSI Tunneling provided 4-flange tunnel Liner Plates. Their 4-flange design enhances the ability of the steel liners to withstand the applied loads, thus allowing Turn-Key to push their shield off the liner plate flanges. DSI’s 4-flange steel liner plates are relatively lightweight and easy to install. In addition, they support safe soft ground tunneling, which can be found underneath railroad tracks.

The tunnel provides visitors with a comfortable and secure passage to the Burch Reserve, with its three miles of hiking trails, gently rolling fields, and forested slopes. Together, the Warner Parks now span more than 3,100 acres of wooded hills that include open meadows, picnic shelters, scenic roadways, and almost 17 miles of hiking trails. Contact the Warner Parks Nature Center for more information at wpnc@nashville.gov.