The Burch Reserve at Warner Park - Nashville, TN
Greenway Extension

Client:
Metro Nashville Davidson County Parks Department

The Warner Park Burch Reserve is the newest addition to the regional Warner Park system. It comprises approximately 250 acres of pristine forest and rolling topography slated for future hiking trails.  The property is separated from the existing parkland by State Route 100 and a CSX railroad corridor.  Public access to the property was a major hurdle.  The City of Nashville contracted with Collier Engineering to help Parks Department staff manage a multi-phase project to address these issues.  Our duties included soliciting and managing the design team, managing project stakeholders, and providing CEI and Construction Management services.  Stakeholders included Metro Parks, Metro Legal, Metro Purchasing, Metro Public Works, TDOT, CSX, Friends of Warner, and the General Contractor.

Phase One of the project was funded with a Transportation Alternative Program (TAP) grant. It included a new parking lot, entry drive, trailhead, signage, stone monuments, and LID stormwater management features.  Collier staff provided CEI services throughout and coordinated full reimbursement through the TDOT Local Programs administered grant program.

Phase Two of the project includes a 10’ wide walking trail connecting the Phase One parking area to a new railroad underpass.  The 12’ Diameter underpass was bored under the railroad tracks and is constructed of structural steel plate.  Concrete headwalls on each end include stone veneer walls and incorporate a donor recognition plaque honoring all who made the Burch Reserve a reality. Collier also coordinated all railroad approvals and ensured the contractor was consistently complying with CSX’s complex safety procedures and protocols throughout construction.

One of the most significant challenges of this project was coordinating the various stakeholders.  Coordination was needed to achieve the goal and vision of Metro Parks, ultimately, to provide pedestrian and emergency access to the Burch Reserve Property while keeping the project on budget and blending a new facility into one of Nashville’s most historic and prized landscapes. This project will serve the Warner Park patrons for many years and is considered one of our most challenging and successfully implemented projects to date.