‘This was a big concern’: Snowplows damage speed bumps, leave bolts sticking out of Bellevue road
This happened despite NDOT telling WSMV before the snowstorm they did special training and were ready to lift plow blades over the bumps.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - People in a Bellevue neighborhood said plows took more than just the snow off their street after Friday’s winter storm.
As the snow slowly melts away along Cross Timbers Drive, there’s more lasting damage from the snowplows that cleared the neighborhood.
Rhonda Oliphant was shocked when she woke up to find bolts sticking out of the road where parts of speed bumps are completely missing after they were hit by snowplows.
She thinks it is very dangerous to have almost every bump near her house pulled out of place.
“If you have a tire blow out or something like that, who knows what your car would do,” Oliphant said. “If it blows out in a way, you could drive off into somebody’s yard or anything.”
This happened despite the Nashville Department of Transportation (NDOT) telling WSMV before the snowstorm they did special training and were ready to lift plow blades over the bumps.
“(Our drivers) are familiar with the routes,” Phillip Jones said on Thursday. “There are signs that are out that tell them where the speed humps are at on the particular routes. We’re going to get through this without any events with the speed humps.”
An NDOT spokesperson said on Monday the goal was to plow up to speed bumps and then talk on top of it. This strategy worked on many streets across Davidson County, but drivers still unintentionally caused damage on a couple of streets.
Mindy Van Tassel said this is a big concern because they had the same issue with speed bumps being knocked out of place by snowplows during last year’s snowstorm.
She filed a Hub Nashville report over the weekend when she first saw the bumps lifted off the ground and got upset.
“They’re trying to move through quickly and get things done,” Van Tassel said. “I was thinking maybe that would be where a plan would come into play, that these neighborhoods have the speed cushions and to pay attention to that.”
Van Tassel pushed for the speed bumps to be installed to slow drivers down on the busy cut through street. She would like to see more warning signs or markers added so plows know where the speed bumps are located to avoid hitting them.
NDOT crews started the repair process on Cross Timbers Drive Monday afternoon by grinding out the damaged bolts. The spokesperson said anyone who sees a damaged speed bump should report them online or by calling 311.
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