Rutherford County Transfer Station

Presently all waste that is collected at the convenience centers is taken to Middle Point Landfill under a host agreement free of charge. When Middle Point closes, that waste will need to be transported to another landfill. Rutherford County has entered into a 15-year contract with Cedar Ridge, a WM facility in Lewisburg, TN.

A transfer station is where solid waste is brought to and held before reaching its final destination. It’s a depository for waste. Trucks deliver the waste to the station and transfer it to the floor, referred to as the tipping floor, where it is placed into long-haul trucks with a larger load capacity. Rutherford County will use 53 foot long semi-trailers to haul solid waste.

The construction project is divided into four phases: Phase One and Two - Site and Structural Development

The work site is prepared for the construction of actual structures. The winner of the RFP, Moody Construction, is poised to be ready on time with the deliverable to get ready for the second phase which will be the structural component. The structural component is where the utility connections for the buildings are established, concrete is poured, and the buildings are built. Boyce Ballard of Murfreesboro has been selected as the contractor for the second phase of the project; the construction of the transfer station, scale house, and office building. The two other parts of the project to be bid out are connections that connect the new Rutherford County Solid Waste Transfer Station to the City of Murfreesboro’s water and sewer utilities. The City of Murfreesboro and Rutherford County have come to an agreement where Murfreesboro will allow the Transfer Station to connect to these utilities as an out-of-city customer. The utilities connection project will be the next phase of construction that will solicit requests for proposal. The fourth and final component of the project is modifying the entranceway on Landfill Road and increasing infrastructure, which will improve the road quality for heavier equipment, heavy-duty trucks, and waste equipment to come in and out of the transfer station in the safest way possible. Estimated time frame of completion is the end of the first annual quarter of 2025, on pace to be done around March or April. This projected date is contingent on weather and contractor performance.

The transfer station is for commercial customers only. Residents will utilize convenience centers free of charge as always and will not bring waste to the transfer station.

When dealing with solid waste, there is no guarantee of zero odor, however, the transfer station will be enclosed, and odor will be contained to the inside of the building. The transfer station is designed to be financially self-supporting with no property tax dollars associated with the operation of the facility. The goal is to maintain financial feasibility and sustainability that matches the pace of growth in Rutherford County. Additionally, this will be an economic boost to the community as there will be an opportunity for small commercial hauler growth.