Mt. Juliet is getting $12 million in federal money to start widening one of its most congested corridors, but drivers stuck in daily backups on Lebanon Road shouldn't expect relief anytime soon. The grant will fund right-of-way acquisition and engineering for a project that will eventually expand the road to five lanes between Curd Road and Park Glen Drive, and city officials say the whole process could take six to eight years.
According to News Channel 5 Nashville, the funding will specifically cover right-of-way purchases and engineering costs rather than actual construction. Mt. Juliet City Commissioner Art Giles, who represents District 1, told the station that traffic buildup on Lebanon Road is a regular concern among people in his district, and he said he is excited that the project will eventually be completed — even though he acknowledged it will take a long time to get there.
The $12 million award was distributed through the Greater Nashville Regional Council and its Transportation Policy Board, according to Wilson County Source, which oversees federal transportation fund distribution across Middle Tennessee. Land acquisition has to wrap up before the next phase of funding becomes available: city leaders anticipate roughly $24 million more in federal construction grants once the right-of-way work is done, bringing the total expected federal contribution to about $36 million.
Local Taxpayers Cover a Small Slice
Federal grants distributed through GNRC typically require a 20% local match, and Mt. Juliet will contribute about $3 million for this phase, per News Channel 5 Nashville's report — leveraging local dollars roughly four-to-one, according to MtJuliet.com. Federal grants overall are expected to cover approximately 80 percent of the widening cost, per the News Channel 5 Nashville report.
Once construction funding is secured and land is acquired, actual paving is estimated to take 12 to 18 months. The completed roadway will expand Lebanon Road from two lanes to five between Park Glen Drive and Curd Road, and the design also calls for 5-foot dedicated bicycle lanes and sidewalks on both sides of the roadway, according to Main Street Media of Tennessee.
Closing a Gap Left by the State
The project is designed to connect directly with recently completed TDOT roadway improvements near West Elementary School on State Route 24, Wilson County Source reports, closing a bottleneck rather than simply shifting congestion further down the corridor. The push for regional funding followed a disappointment at the state level: in December 2025, TDOT confirmed that the stretch of US 70/SR 24 between Park Glen Drive and SR 109 was not included for construction funding in its 10-year fiscally constrained plan, according to WKRN News 2. That gap prompted Mt. Juliet leaders to pursue federal grants through the regional MPO instead of waiting on the state.
Other Mt. Juliet officials echoed the urgency at recent meetings. David Fox said he wants improvements to local roads and sidewalks, while Denice Curtis called for enough traffic signals and three-, four- and five-lane streets to prevent daily traffic congestion, per News Channel 5 Nashville. Nearby development is adding to the strain: growth from the Bender's Ferry development has also contributed to congestion on Lebanon Road, the station reported.
A Corridor Already Stretched Thin
State Route 24/U.S. Route 70, better known locally as Lebanon Road, carries an estimated average daily traffic volume of approximately 27,867 vehicles through Mt. Juliet, according to data from CBRE. Traffic pressure on the corridor grew substantially after the August 2020 opening of Green Hill High School, a 60-acre, $107 million campus serving about 2,000 students located just off Lebanon Road, a facility whose opening previously required emergency traffic signal additions nearby.
The road's strain reflects broader growth across the area. Mt. Juliet's population climbed from 39,289 residents in the 2020 U.S. Census to an estimated 44,066 in 2024, a 12.1% increase in four years, according to World Atlas. City communications officials have noted that Wilson County's overall population is projected to reach 169,095 in 2026, nearly a 50% increase since 2010, and have emphasized that out-of-city commuters account for a major portion of local arterial traffic, according to Matt Burchfield.
That commuter pressure has shown up in other corners of city life too. Mt. Juliet has previously reported that 85% of wanted arrests involve non-residents, and Lebanon Road itself has been the site of high-profile traffic stops, underscoring just how much regional traffic funnels through the corridor daily. For now, the newly awarded $12 million keeps the widening project moving through its land-buying phase, even as the promise of five smooth lanes remains years down the road.
