Airport Authority releases details on easing Nashville International Airport traffic

Kenley Hargett
·2 min read

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) – The volume of people coming and going from Nashville International Airport is massive.

According to BNA, almost 22 million passengers made their way through the airport in 2023. This makes BNA one of the fastest growing airports in North America.

“The volume is still there and we want the roads to get better to handle that volume,” Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority President and CEO Douglas E. Kreulen said.

BNA officials remind passengers of alternative airport exits ahead of holiday travel

Along with Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell, the Airport Authority has developed 17 actions to mitigate roadway congestion.

They focus on operational improvements, communication initiatives for travelers to receive real-time updates on traffic, and expanding roads.

One of those actions they are currently working on includes widening Exit 216A, which is one of the main thruways into the airport.

“Basically we have widened the first 1,700 feet of Exit 216A to allow two lanes off of I-40,” Kreulen said. “We are still going to lengthen another 1,700 feet back to the terminal, and we are asking TDOT for permission to widen that same intersection.”

GOP-appointed Nashville Airport Authority claims it has say in Metro building permits

BNA also hopes to expand the road heading to the airport terminal from two lanes to six lanes.

Recently, they launched free 30-minute garage parking and reduced short-term garage rates. Later on, they plan to relocate rideshare, taxi, and limo drop-offs and pick-ups to ground transportation.

“Just in the first 10 days of December, we’ve pulled 1,200 cars off of the road to use that new service; we will have more data as we get father though the month,” Kreulen said.

TSA is also addressing their work to ensure security screening safety at BNA. TSA Regional Spokesperson Mark Howell advises all travelers to make sure they know what items are not allowed through security.

| READ MORE | Latest headlines from Nashville and Davidson County

Communication is a large part of the plan. The Airport Authority wants to educate the public on changes through news and social media, advertising/tv commercials, social media, radio, and print ads.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2.