SMYRNA, Tenn. (WTVF) — Middle Tennessee drivers could soon have a new option to skip traffic backups on Interstate 24 through a proposed express lane system called Choice Lanes.
The Tennessee Department of Transportation held public meetings Tuesday to present conceptual plans for the project, which would stretch nearly 26 miles from Nashville to just short of Interstate 840. The express lanes would allow drivers to pay a variable fee based on time of day and traffic conditions to access faster travel times.
"If you go to Nashville, it takes forever to get back to Smyrna, and I mean forever. It's longer than an hour sometimes; don't let it be a wreck," said Tina Caruthers, who attended Tuesday's meeting.
Caruthers said the frustration of visiting family in Nashville brought her out to learn more about the project.
"So I just came to get some type of idea of how they're gonna design it or make it better for us to travel and to be safe on the interstate," Caruthers said.
The Choice Lanes would operate on a dynamic pricing system, with fees changing throughout the day based on traffic volume and congestion levels. TDOT officials emphasized the lanes would be optional for drivers.
"And if you would like to pay that user fee for a better trip time, that is totally up to you," TDOT Spokesperson Rebekah Hammonds said.
While residents at the public meeting agreed something needs to be done about I-24 congestion, some raised concerns about project funding.
"The two plans right here are very costly," one resident said.
Another attendee asked, "Like, will we have to pay extra taxes, or is there going to have a different way to do the funding for the project?"
TDOT officials said they hope the project will be privately funded by a developer who would design, build and collect the user fees. Some sections of the interstate could be widened, while others may need to be elevated due to space constraints.
If approved, the project is scheduled to break ground between 2027 and the late 2020s.
"We know that, yes, this is the first time that Tennesseans have seen anything like this. But we hope that it is not just a project that this becomes a program throughout the state," Hammonds said.
Two additional public meetings are scheduled for residents to share feedback:
- October 1 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Coleman Park Community Center, 384 Thompson Ln, Nashville, TN 37211
- October 2 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Southeast Community Center, 5620 Hickory Hollow Pkwy #202, Antioch, TN 37013
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at Patsy.Montesinos@Newschannel5.com
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