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HomeNewsTDOT announces Heavy Construction on I-440 to Begin this Weekend

TDOT announces Heavy Construction on I-440 to Begin this Weekend

Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT)

Tennessee Department of Transportation - TDOTNashville, TN – Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) says drivers should plan ahead for delays along the Interstate 440 corridor as the first phase of heavy construction gets underway. Starting at 9:00pm tonight, the contractor will begin reducing travel lanes in order to start removing the grass median through the entire corridor.

This work will impact areas west of Interstate 65 first, but the lane restrictions will be in place along all 7 miles of I-440 in the coming weeks.

Drivers should plan for delays on and around the 440 corridor through August 2020.
Drivers should plan for delays on and around the 440 corridor through August 2020.

Drivers need to be alert and aware of the following changes along the corridor.

  • Traffic will be restricted to two travel lanes in each direction from 5:00am to 9:00pm and one travel lane in each direction from 9:00pm to 5:00am.
  • Interstate entrance ramps will be shortened and roadway shoulders will be narrowed or eliminated in most areas.
  • Some interchange traffic patterns will be modified to accommodate construction.
  • The speed limit has been lowered to 45 m.p.h.

In order to keep two driving lanes available, the contractor has paved the existing roadway shoulders to use as a travel lane while construction is underway on the median and inside lanes. Since there will be no space to move disabled vehicles off the roadway, even a minor traffic incident will cause heavy backups throughout the corridor.

To help mitigate delays, dispatchers at the TDOT Transportation Management Center will be monitoring the corridor 24 hours a day/7 days a week and keep in close contact with first responders. TDOT will have two HELP trucks assigned to the corridor to patrol lanes and assist motorists as needed.

Motorists are urged to obey the reduced speed limit, keep vehicles well-maintained and fueled, and move any disabled or damaged vehicles to the nearest exit whenever possible.

The contractor will start setting up the long-term traffic shifts in the area between West End Avenue and Belmont Boulevard starting the evening of March 1. Commuters who travel the I-440 corridor can expect to start experiencing delays on Monday, March 4th.

Delays will increase as the contractor moves west with operations to I-40 and then continues work from I-65 to I-24. By early spring, the entire corridor is expected to be under heavy construction.

For more information on the I-440 reconstruction project and to sign up for email updates, visit https://www.tn.gov/tdot/projects/region-3/interstate-440.html.

Quick Facts

  • $152 million project contract was awarded to Kiewit Infrastructure South Group in August 2018.
  • Work is estimated to be complete by August 2020.
  • The reconstruction scope includes
    • rubblizing existing deteriorated concrete, and replacing with asphalt
    • removing elevated grassy median and replacing with a concrete barrier wall
    • adding a third lane in some areas to provide three through lanes in each direction throughout the corridor
  • Early construction work including noise walls, ramp queue projects, and lighting and fiber relocation, began in November 2018.
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