NASHVILLE, Tenn (WTVF) — Lanes have been narrowed and exit ramps closed on Interstate 440 in Davidson County, and construction will continue throughout this month causing heavy congestion.
Back in March Tennessee Department of Transportation crews broke ground on the two phase I-440 project that will add new lighting, noise walls, and the completion of two small projects to alleviate congestion on exit ramps. As phase one wraps up shifts in traffic include the constant changes to exit ramps.
Phase 2 of the project will require temporary ramp closures on nights and weekends starting this month.
"There’s a lot of things changing on a daily basis. The locations of the exits have shifted a little bit, and that’s necessary for the contractor to build permanent exits. They’re working on those as quickly as they can to get traffic back into those permanent exits but yes, they have shifted a little bit," said Clayton Markham, TDOT project manager.
Construction crews plan to start the shifts between Murphy Road and Brightwood Avenue. The ongoing construction is enough to affect many drivers.
"I feel like it’s a wreck and it’s annoying and I really want it to hurry up and be done," said Erin Keesee.
Keesee says she doesn't even drive on I-440 and looks for alternate routes.
"At all cost, I take the streetway if I can, I try not to drive during rush hour if I can; just anything not to get on 440," Keesee said.
There is more construction that's going to shift traffic at the end of the month.
The Department of Transportation says on Friday, September 20 at 9 p.m. through Monday, September 23 at 5 a.m., the I-440 interchange at I-65 will be closed to place beams in order to connect the two I-440 bridges for the $152.9 million I-440 reconstruction project. Traffic going towards the interchange will be reduced to one lane and detoured away from the construction area.
Eastbound traffic on I-440 will be detoured to I-65 southbound.
Westbound traffic on I-440 will be detoured to I-65 northbound.
Northbound traffic on I-65 will be detoured to I-440 eastbound.
Southbound traffic on I-65 will be detoured to I-440 westbound.
Franklin Road will be closed from Berry Road to Woodmont Boulevard.
Changes will also happen on Friday, September 27 at 9 p.m. through Monday, September 30 at 5 a.m., I-24 will be closed on the downtown interstate loop from I-40 at the Silliman Evans Bridge to I-65 to repair bridge joints at the Woodland Street, Main Street, and Silliman Evans bridges.
Interstate traffic will be detoured to I-40 and I-65. East Nashville traffic will be able to access local routes to cross the Cumberland River, including Shelby Avenue, Main Street, Woodland Street, and Spring Street.
Local traffic will be able access I-24 westbound at Spring Street. There will be intermittent closures of the I-24 eastbound on-ramp at Shelby Avenue for maintenance activities.
This work is part of a $1.5 million bridge repair project.
In the event of inclement weather, the alternate date for the I-440/I-65 interchange closure will be the weekend of September 27 and the I-24 closure will be rescheduled for the weekend of October 11.
