Mt. Juliet event on church property causes traffic chaos

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - A large event in Mt. Juliet caused heavy traffic congestion on Friday.

The event was planned to be held on Global Vision Bible Church’s property at 2060 Old Lebanon Dirt Road, a property that has caused extreme traffic congestion in the past, according to Police Chief James Harbrick.

The Mt. Juliet Police Department discovered an advertisement for the event earlier in the week and created a plan knowing the property’s traffic-causing history.

“The department began developing a contingency plan earlier this week to respond to community-impacting incidents, such as blocked roadways, unlawful parking, and trespassing,” said Chief Harbrick in a statement. “Early this morning, we began receiving reports of Old Lebanon Dirt Road blocked, and the department immediately responded.”

The church property is outside of the city’s limits, but the roadway that events on the property typically block is within its limits. Officers remained present and kept traffic flowing along Old Lebanon Dirt Road during the event.

The event also caused several trespassing issues for property owners in the area, including vehicle abandonment. Officers worked to tow around 30 unlawfully parked cars as the event continued.

Several warning signs and message boards were in place at the event notifying drivers of the tow risk.

MJPD said the event is scheduled throughout the weekend and plans to have officers present through its entirety to keep the affected roadway safe and lower the impact on residents in the area.

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