NDOT Wraps Up First Round of Brush Pickup Before Incoming Storms

Nashville crews have collected over 1.1 million cubic yards of debris since February 3 in preparation for severe weather.

Mar. 14, 2026 at 11:08pm

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The Nashville Department of Transportation (NDOT) is finishing up the first round of brush pickup this week as more storms are expected to bring high winds and potential tornadoes to the area on Sunday night. Since February 3, NDOT crews have collected over 1.1 million cubic yards of brush and storm debris across Nashville, a significant increase from the 87,000 cubic yards collected in all of 2025.

Why it matters

The brush and debris pickup is a crucial step in preparing Nashville for the incoming severe weather season. The recent ice storm at the end of January damaged hundreds of thousands of trees across the city, leaving many unstable and at risk of falling during high winds. This cleanup effort aims to mitigate potential damage and safety hazards to residents.

The details

NDOT crews have been working tirelessly, coming out daily from 7 or 7:30 AM until dark to collect the massive amount of brush and debris. West Nashville resident Madonna Archer praised their hard work, noting it took about four weeks for the first pile to be picked up from her house. The Tennessee Department of Agriculture's Urban Forest Strike Team has also been assessing the damage to Nashville's tree canopy, identifying many trees that will likely need to be removed due to split trunks and loose, detached branches.

  • Since February 3, NDOT crews have collected over 1.1 million cubic yards of brush and storm debris.
  • In the entire year of 2025, NDOT only collected about 87,000 cubic yards of debris.

The players

Nashville Department of Transportation (NDOT)

The local government agency responsible for maintaining Nashville's transportation infrastructure, including the brush and debris pickup efforts.

Madonna Archer

A West Nashville resident who has witnessed the NDOT crews working hard to collect the debris in her neighborhood.

Tennessee Department of Agriculture

The state agency that deployed its Urban Forest Strike Team to assess the damage to Nashville's tree canopy after the recent ice storm.

Megan Carpenter

The public information officer for the Tennessee Department of Agriculture's Urban Forest Strike Team.

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What they’re saying

“Such hard work and such steady work. They come every morning around 7 or 7:30. I see the trucks, and they work all day till dark. How can you ask for more? If you just look at the number of acres in Nashville and even the surrounding counties, it has been amazing what they've done.”

— Madonna Archer, West Nashville resident (WSMV)

“On the more severe side of things, we were seeing that there were a lot of trees that had their trunks split, and so you could see the heartwood inside of them. Those ones probably are not going to survive. We marked those that they probably need to be removed.”

— Megan Carpenter, Public Information Officer, Urban Forest Strike Team (WSMV)

“They may have cracks, they may have broken branches, they may even have what we call hangers, which are branches that are completely detached, but they're still held up in the tree canopy. They're loose. They can come down at any moment.”

— Megan Carpenter, Public Information Officer, Urban Forest Strike Team (WSMV)

What’s next

NDOT said they're planning to do more passes through the city to get all the remaining brush and debris collected, even after finishing the first round of pickup.

The takeaway

Nashville's aggressive brush and debris cleanup efforts in the wake of the recent ice storm damage are crucial preparations for the incoming severe weather season. The sheer volume of material collected, over 1.1 million cubic yards, highlights the scale of the challenge facing the city, but also the dedication of NDOT crews working tirelessly to keep residents safe.