The Tour DaVita, a 200 mile bike race and fundraiser, requested that it be allowed to have part of its route go through Williamson County.
The Highway Commission, due to some concerns about the request, deferred approving the request until September, but gave every indication it would allow it.
Tour DaVita 2016 is September 24th to 28th in middle Tennessee, covering parts of Williamson County.
After starting at Rock Creek Park on September 24, it cuts north on two routes from Lewisburg to Franklin on the 26th. On the 27th, it rolls west from Franklin to Lieper’s Fork and then follows the old Natchez Trace. In all, more than 70 miles of the ride are in Williamson County.
Williamson County Highway Commissioners deferred approval because there was no representative for DeVita at the meeting, and they wanted to be sure the organizers understood that traffic laws must be followed and that a law enforcement officer would have to be at every intersection in the county.
The annual fundraiser includes about 500 DaVita teammates, physicians, patients, family members and Friends of DaVita pedal their way across 200 or so miles in a different part of the country every year, in a three-day cycling adventure.
“It’s our way of helping bring quality healthcare to those in need, while promoting a healthy lifestyle and having fun,” said Bianca Violante, spokesperson for the event.
The 10th annual Tour DaVita will benefit Bridge of Life, which improves access to primary care and dialysis treatment in underserved communities around the world while also focusing on prevention of kidney disease through early-detection testing and education.
Last year’s ride was in North Carolina.
For a map of this year’s course, visit the event’s website here.
