When the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) set out to replace the aging 1948 Broadway Avenue Viaduct in downtown Nashville, it faced one of the city’s most complex infrastructure challenges.

The 700-foot-long, 98-foot-wide bridge had reached the end of its service life. It carried one of the city’s busiest surface corridors, stood above five active CSX Transportation (CSXT) rail tracks and supported crucial fiber optic infrastructure serving much of the city’s core.

The stakes were high. Shutting down the bridge for an extended period risked significant traffic disruption in downtown Nashville, while any interruption to CSXT’s freight operations could have had ripple effects across the region’s economy. To succeed, the project required more than just sound engineering – it demanded an experienced facilitator who could align the priorities of a state DOT, a major freight railroad, contractors, utility providers and local stakeholders.

That’s where STV entered the picture.

Why Public Project Administration is a Growing Need

STV is one of only a handful of firms in the United States that routinely provides public project administration services for Class I freight railroads like CSXT and Norfolk Southern. In this role, the firm represents the railroad’s interests when outside agencies – whether a DOT, municipality or private developer – pursue projects that intersect with railroad right-of-way. The scope often includes project coordination, design review, construction oversight and serving as the railroad’s on-site advocate during delivery.

“Across the country, freight railroads are facing an unprecedented wave of public infrastructure projects. Few firms have both the technical expertise and stakeholder management experience to guide these efforts, and fewer still have done it consistently for decades,” said Ted Coffey, PE, vice president and head of the freight team at STV. “Our role is to make sure those projects succeed without compromising freight mobility. In many ways, we act as an extension of the railroad’s staff – translating agency needs into railroad requirements and railroad requirements into workable solutions.”

In rapidly developing areas, this service is becoming indispensable. Population growth, highway expansions and urban redevelopment are increasingly converging with freight corridors. Railroads, already managing hundreds of projects across vast networks, often rely on trusted partners like STV to ensure that public works move forward without compromising rail safety or operations.

The Broadway Viaduct replacement illustrates how this partnership model can deliver results.

What was the Nashville Broadway Viaduct Replacement Project?

Starting in 2018, STV worked with TDOT and CSXT to define the bridge footprint and protect the railroad’s right-of-way. Once construction began, STV’s role expanded into daily oversight – reviewing submittals, coordinating with contractors and verifying that CSXT’s standards were upheld.

“Our responsibility was to keep CSX’s interests at the forefront without slowing down the project,” said James Schonk, senior project manager at STV. “Every design review, every site meeting, every overnight shift was about protecting rail operations while enabling TDOT to deliver for the public.”

The project’s signature achievement was the use of Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC). During an intense eight-week road closure, crews worked around the clock to demolish the old 13-span bridge and replace it with a modern five-span structure. The new design improved vertical and horizontal clearances, provided a clear span over all five active tracks and reduced long-term maintenance needs.

Through STV’s coordination, CSXT operations continued uninterrupted throughout construction. Intensive daily coordination among the TDOT contractor, STV and CSXT allowed for the safe passage of trains and efficient work execution. At the same time, eight AT&T fiber optic cables were successfully transferred to the new structure without a single outage for downtown customers.

“Accelerated construction compressed years of work into weeks,” said Nick Smith, construction manager at STV. “What made it possible was the collaboration – TDOT, CSX, contractors and our team were all aligned on what success meant.”

A Model for the Southeast and Beyond

The Broadway Viaduct replacement demonstrates how the public and private sector can collaborate to deliver complex infrastructure while still meeting both side’s priorities. For the public, it meant a safer, more modern bridge delivered in record time. For CSX, it meant uninterrupted operations on a crucial freight corridor and expanded clearances to support future growth. For downtown Nashville, it meant continuity of both mobility and essential services.

As urban centers across the Southeast expand, the Broadway Viaduct is less an exception and more a glimpse of what’s ahead: complex, high-stakes projects where public needs and freight priorities must align. With STV as a facilitator, both sides can deliver on their missions without compromise.

‘Success in today’s infrastructure environment isn’t just about building new structures – it’s about building trust, aligning priorities and ensuring that both communities and commerce continue to move forward together,” Schonk said.