Montgomery County, TN – In November 2022, a new crossover was completed for emergency vehicles on I-24 at mile marker 12.6. The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) project resulted from concerns brought to the Clarksville-Montgomery County Traffic Safety Task Force in 2021 by Montgomery County Emergency Services (EMS) Operations Chief Chris Proctor and Clarksville Fire Rescue (CFR) Deputy Chief Steve Batten.
The Task Force celebrated the completion of the project at their monthly meeting in December at Montgomery County’s Emergency Management Agency.
“Before this crossover, we drove to mile marker 17 for calls between exits 11 and 19. We’ve had to make the tough call to go against traffic and have had an ambulance stuck in the ditch attempting to cross instead of losing time with the extra 10 miles. Getting to an accident scene faster can make all the difference,” said Proctor.
“There was a fatal accident on I-24 from the 90s that has stayed in my head. It’s almost always about how fast we can get there to make a difference in saving someone’s life. We’re growing and need all the additional safety measures we can get,” said Batten.
Kevin Smith, lieutenant of Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP), added, “This crossover has made a world of difference to us in making it to a crash scene quicker. We’re thankful it’s in place.”
Lisa McClain, driver’s safety administrator with Montgomery County, was credited from the team for continuing communication and coordination with representatives from TDOT, the State of Tennessee, and local public safety officials from the time it was brought up through the end of the project.
McClain stated, “This results from a great team effort for the community. We appreciate TDOT and all of the safety personnel who shared what a high sense of urgency there was in adding this crossover. We will continue working to make our roads safer.”
The Clarksville-Montgomery County Safety Task Force is a team of public safety professionals who meet to collaborate on efforts to improve safety for the community’s residents and those traveling through. Task Force members include representatives from TDOT, THP, Tennessee Highway Safety Office, Tennessee District Attorney General Conference, Montgomery County EMS, Driver Safety, Emergency Management Agency, E911, Highway Department, Mayor’s Office, Sheriff’s Office, Clarksville Fire, Police and Street Departments, Fort Campbell CID/Provost Marshal’s Office, 19th District Attorney’s Office, Austin Peay State University (APSU) Campus Police, APSU Student Government, MADD Volunteers and AAA Insurance.
To learn more about the Clarksville-Montgomery County Safety Task Force, visit their Facebook page and/or contact Lt. Vincent Lewis, CPD, at 931.648.0656 or Lisa McClain, Montgomery County Driver Safety, at 931-553-5186.
