SMYRNA, TN – At noon this coming Tuesday (12/16/2025), Jefferson Pike will enter a new era. The Town of Smyrna has announced updated speed limits along the freshly widened corridor, a move designed to protect not only drivers but also the growing number of pedestrians and cyclists who now share the roadway.

The changes come on the heels of the Tennessee Department of Transportation’s (TDOT) completion of the Jefferson Pike widening project. After decades of being labeled one of Rutherford County’s “most deadly” roads, Jefferson Pike finally received shoulders, sidewalks, bike lanes, and a new bridge over the Stones River. With the asphalt laid and the paint dry, Smyrna leaders didn’t stop there—they commissioned a formal speed study, backed by computer‑based safety analysis, to make sure the roadway’s design matched the realities of traffic flow.

The study broke Jefferson Pike into three segments, each evaluated for safe travel speeds. The result: new speed limits that aim to balance efficiency with safety. Town officials say the changes are not just numbers on a sign—they’re part of a broader push to ensure Jefferson Pike never again earns its old reputation as a “death trap.”

Remembering History Behind the Headlines - For longtime residents, the announcement carries a heavy sense of history. Jefferson Pike wasn’t alone in its notoriety. Halls Hill Pike, Bradyville Pike, Thompson Lane, Cherry Lane, Compton Road, and even Franklin Road (State Highway 96) were all once listed among Rutherford County’s “most dangerous” two‑lane, no‑shoulder routes.

Halls Hill Pike was the first to be corrected back in the early 1990s, after WGNS radio aired a series of awareness broadcasts near Daniel McKee School and Halls Hill Tabernacle. Those broadcasts, paired with a heartbreaking string of child fatalities, pushed TDOT to approve funding. Shoulders were added, curves straightened, and the road’s deadly reputation began to fade.

Bradyville Pike, however, remains a sore spot. Despite being earmarked as “most dangerous” by the State of Tennessee, it has yet to see improvements. Traffic has exploded in southeast Murfreesboro, and residents still navigate a narrow, shoulder-less corridor where visibility is poor and accidents far too common.

Jefferson Pike’s transformation was prioritized because of its role as a connector to I‑840 and the Middle Point Landfill, where heavy truck traffic made crashes almost inevitable. Now, with the widening complete and speed limits adjusted, Smyrna hopes to turn the page.

Looking Ahead - TDOT’s calendar still lists Bradyville Pike for eventual widening, though no construction date has been set. Thompson Lane and Cherry Lane are also in line for improvements, with Murfreesboro city tackling its own projects on Medical Center Parkway and other connectors. Franklin Road, too, has long been whispered about in safety discussions—some residents wonder if it was quietly swept under the rug, despite its history as a narrow, shoulder-less highway.

For now, Smyrna is celebrating a milestone. Come Tuesday, Jefferson Pike won’t just be wider—it will be governed by new rules meant to keep families safe. After decades of tragedy and advocacy, the community is finally seeing progress, one speed limit sign at a time.