Interstate 40 (Tennessee)
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Interstate 40 (I-40) is part of the
Interstate Highway System The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, commonly known as the Interstate Highway System, or the Eisenhower Interstate System, is a network of controlled-access highways that forms part of the National Hi ...
that runs from
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, to
Wilmington, North Carolina Wilmington is a port city in New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States. With a population of 115,451 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, eighth-most populous city in the st ...
. The highway crosses
Tennessee Tennessee (, ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Kentucky to the north, Virginia to the northeast, North Carolina t ...
from west to east, from the
Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the main stem, primary river of the largest drainage basin in the United States. It is the second-longest river in the United States, behind only the Missouri River, Missouri. From its traditional source of Lake Ita ...
at the
Arkansas Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the West South Central region of the Southern United States. It borders Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, Texas to the southwest, and Oklahoma ...
border to the
Blue Ridge Mountains The Blue Ridge Mountains are a Physiographic regions of the United States, physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Highlands range. The mountain range is located in the Eastern United States and extends 550 miles southwest from southern ...
at the
North Carolina North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...
border. At , the Tennessee segment of I-40 is the longest of the eight states through which it passes and the state's longest Interstate Highway. I-40 passes through Tennessee's three largest cities— Memphis,
Nashville Nashville, often known as Music City, is the capital and List of municipalities in Tennessee, most populous city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County in Middle Tennessee, locat ...
, and
Knoxville Knoxville is a city in Knox County, Tennessee, United States, and its county seat. It is located on the Tennessee River and had a population of 190,740 at the 2020 United States census. It is the largest city in the East Tennessee Grand Division ...
—and serves the
Great Smoky Mountains National Park Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a List of national parks of the United States, national park of the United States in the southeastern United States, southeast, with parts in North Carolina and Tennessee. The park straddles the ridgeline o ...
, the most-visited national park in the United States. It crosses all of Tennessee's physiographic regions and Grand Divisions—the
Mississippi embayment The Mississippi embayment is a physiographic feature in the south-central United States, part of the Mississippi Alluvial Plain. It is essentially a northward continuation of the fluvial sediments of the Mississippi River Delta to its conflu ...
and
Gulf Coastal Plain The Gulf Coastal Plain extends around the Gulf of Mexico in the Southern United States and eastern Mexico. This coastal plain reaches from the Florida Panhandle, southwest Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia, the southern two-thirds of Alabama, over m ...
in
West Tennessee West Tennessee is one of the three Grand Divisions of Tennessee that roughly comprises the western quarter of the state. The region includes 21 counties between the Tennessee and Mississippi rivers, delineated by state law. Its geography consists ...
, the
Highland Rim The Highland Rim is a geographic term for the area in Tennessee, North Alabama, and Kentucky which surrounds the Central Basin. The Central Basin is a geological dome which has subsequently fractured and eroded to produce a basin. The Highland R ...
and
Nashville Basin The Nashville Basin, also known as the Central Basin, is a term often used to describe the area surrounding Murfreesboro, Tennessee, in which Nashville is located. The Central Basin was caused by an uplifting which produced a dome known as the ...
in
Middle Tennessee Middle Tennessee is one of the three Grand Divisions of Tennessee that composes roughly the central portion of the state. It is delineated according to state law as 41 of the state's 95 counties. Middle Tennessee contains the state's capital an ...
, and the
Cumberland Plateau The Cumberland Plateau is the southern part of the Appalachian Plateau in the Appalachian Mountains of the United States. It includes much of eastern Kentucky and Tennessee, and portions of northern Alabama and northwest Georgia. The terms " Al ...
,
Cumberland Mountains The Cumberland Mountains are a mountain range in the southeastern section of the Appalachian Mountains. They are located in western Virginia, southwestern West Virginia, the eastern edges of Kentucky, and eastern middle Tennessee, including the ...
,
Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians The Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians, also called the Ridge and Valley Province or the Valley and Ridge Appalachians, are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Highlands division. The physiographic province is divided into three se ...
, and
Blue Ridge Mountains The Blue Ridge Mountains are a Physiographic regions of the United States, physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Highlands range. The mountain range is located in the Eastern United States and extends 550 miles southwest from southern ...
in
East Tennessee East Tennessee is one of the three Grand Divisions of Tennessee defined in state law. Geographically and socioculturally distinct, it comprises approximately the eastern third of the U.S. state of Tennessee. East Tennessee consists of 33 coun ...
. Landscapes on the route vary from flat, level plains and swamplands in the west to irregular rolling hills, cavernous limestone bluffs, and deep river gorges in the central part of the state, to plateau tablelands, broad river valleys, narrow mountain passes, and mountain peaks in the east. The Interstate parallels the older U.S. Route 70 (US 70) corridor for its entire length in the state. It has interchanges and concurrencies with four other mainline Interstate Highways, and has five auxiliary routes: I-140, I-240, I-440, I-640, and I-840. I-40 in Tennessee was mostly complete by the late 1960s, having been constructed in segments. The stretch between Memphis and Nashville, completed in 1966, was the state's first major Interstate segment to be finished. The last planned section was completed in 1975, and much of the route has been widened and reconstructed since then. The I-40 corridor between Memphis and Nashville is known as Music Highway because it passes through a region which was instrumental in the development of
American popular music American popular music (also referred to as "American Pop") is popular music produced in the United States and is a part of American pop culture. Distinctive styles of American popular music emerged early in the 19th century, and in the 20th ...
. In Memphis, the highway is also nationally significant due to a 1971 U.S. Supreme Court case which established the modern process of
judicial review Judicial review is a process under which a government's executive, legislative, or administrative actions are subject to review by the judiciary. In a judicial review, a court may invalidate laws, acts, or governmental actions that are in ...
of infrastructure projects. Community opposition to the highway's proposed routing through Overton Park led to a nearly-25-year activist campaign which culminated in the case. This resulted in the state abandoning the highway's original alignment and relocating it onto what was originally a section of I-240.


Route description

I-40 runs for through
Tennessee Tennessee (, ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Kentucky to the north, Virginia to the northeast, North Carolina t ...
, making it the second-longest stretch of Interstate Highway within a single state east of the
Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the main stem, primary river of the largest drainage basin in the United States. It is the second-longest river in the United States, behind only the Missouri River, Missouri. From its traditional source of Lake Ita ...
. It is the only Interstate Highway to pass through all three of the state's Grand Divisions and all nine physiographic regions. The highway is maintained by the
Tennessee Department of Transportation The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) is the department of transportation for the State of Tennessee, with multimodal responsibilities in roadways, aviation, public transit, waterways, and railroads. It was established in 1915 as the ...
(TDOT). The busiest stretch of highway in Tennessee is on the segment concurrent with
I-75 Interstate 75 (I-75) is a major north–south Interstate Highway System, Interstate Highway in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes and Southeastern United States, Southeastern regions of the United States. As with most Interstates that end ...
in Knoxville between a connector to US 11/ 70 and Papermill Road, which had an average daily traffic volume of 218,583 vehicles in 2022. The lowest daily traffic volume that year was 26,985 vehicles at the
North Carolina North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...
state line. The busiest
weigh station A weigh station is a checkpoint along a highway to inspect vehicular weights and safety compliance criteria. Usually, trucks and commercial vehicles are subject to the inspection. Weigh stations are equipped with truck scales, some of which are ...
in the country is on I-40/I-75 in Farragut, a suburb of Knoxville, which serves more than 2.4 million trucks annually.


West Tennessee


Memphis

I-40 enters Tennessee from Arkansas in a direct east–west alignment via the six-lane Hernando de Soto Bridge, a tied-arch bridge which spans the
Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the main stem, primary river of the largest drainage basin in the United States. It is the second-longest river in the United States, behind only the Missouri River, Missouri. From its traditional source of Lake Ita ...
and has a total length of about . Entering the city of Memphis (Tennessee's second-largest city), the Interstate crosses the southern half of Mud Island before crossing the Wolf River Harbor and
Mississippi Alluvial Plain The Mississippi River Alluvial Plain is an alluvial plain created by the Mississippi River on which lie parts of seven U.S. states, from southern Louisiana to southern Illinois (Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, Lo ...
into
Downtown Memphis Downtown Memphis is the central business district of Memphis, Tennessee, and is located along the Mississippi River between Interstate 40 to the north, Interstate 55 to the south, and Interstate 240 (Tennessee), Interstate 240 to the east, where ...
, where the bridge ends next to the
Memphis Pyramid The Memphis Pyramid, formerly known as the Great American Pyramid and the Pyramid Arena, and colloquially known as the Bass Pro Shops Pyramid, is a pyramid-shaped building located in downtown Memphis, Tennessee, Memphis, Tennessee, United State ...
. The highway then intersects US 51 (Danny Thomas Boulevard) and, just beyond this point, abruptly turns 90 degrees north near Midtown at an interchange with the western terminus of I-240, a southern bypass route around the central city. It then intersects SR 14 (Jackson Avenue). Proceeding north, the highway crosses the Wolf River and reaches the eastern terminus of SR 300, a controlled-access connector to US 51. The Interstate then shifts due east, bypassing central Memphis to the north. Passing near the neighborhoods of Frayser and
Raleigh Raleigh ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, second-most populous city in the state (after Charlotte, North Carolina, Charlotte) ...
, I-40 intersects a number of surface streets and crosses the Wolf River for a second time about later. It then meets SR 14 again and turns southeast. A few miles later, I-40 reaches a complex four-level
stack interchange A directional interchange, colloquially known as a stack interchange, is a type of grade-separated junction between two controlled-access highways that allows for free-flowing movement to and from all directions of traffic. These interchanges e ...
with US 64/ 70/ 79 (Summer Avenue) and the eastern ends of I-240 and Sam Cooper Boulevard; a pair of
overpass An overpass, called an overbridge or flyover (for a road only) in the United Kingdom and some other Commonwealth countries, is a bridge, road, railway or similar structure that is over another road or railway. An ''overpass'' and '' underpa ...
es carries its traffic northeast. Entering a straightaway, the Interstate crosses the Wolf River for a third (and final) time; over the next several miles, it passes through the suburban neighborhoods of East Memphis and Cordova and the incorporated suburb of Bartlett in eastern Shelby County. This stretch has eight lanes; the left lanes serve as
high-occupancy vehicle A high-occupancy vehicle lane (also known as an HOV lane, carpool lane, diamond lane, 2+ lane, and transit lane or T2 or T3 lanes) is a restricted traffic lane reserved for the exclusive use of vehicles with a driver and at least one passenger, i ...
(HOV) lanes during
rush hour A rush hour (American English, British English) or peak hour (Australian English, Indian English) is a part of the day during which traffic congestion on roads and crowding on public transport is at its highest. Normally, this happens twice e ...
, and it has several interchanges with local thoroughfares. The highway then intersects US 64 and narrows to four lanes. After passing through Lakeland, the Interstate reaches a
cloverleaf interchange A cloverleaf interchange is a two-level interchange (road), interchange in which all turns are handled by slip roads. To go left (in right-hand traffic; reverse directions in left-driving regions), vehicles first continue as one road passe ...
with the eastern ends of I-269 and SR 385 near the suburb of Arlington.


Gulf coastal plain

Leaving the Memphis area, I-40 enters Fayette County east of Arlington; about later, it crosses the Loosahatchie River and adjacent wetlands. Over the next , the Interstate crosses a level expanse of farmland and some woodlands and swamplands in a straight alignment, bypassing most cities and communities. An interchange with SR 59 is at exit 35, which provides access to Covington and Somerville. The highway enters Haywood County near the site of
Ford Motor Company Ford Motor Company (commonly known as Ford) is an American multinational corporation, multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan, United States. It was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. T ...
's Blue Oval City manufacturing facility. Beyond this point, it turns north and enters Hatchie National Wildlife Refuge; the highway crosses the
Hatchie River The Hatchie River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed June 3, 2011 river in northern Mississippi and southwestern Tennessee. It is of considerable geographic, culture, cu ...
and a number of streams and swamps in a long straightaway. I-40 turns east after the refuge and passes southeast of Brownsville, where it intersects SR 76, SR 19, and US 70. The highway then enters Madison County. Crossing a mix of level farmland and swamplands, I-40 enters
Jackson Jackson may refer to: Places Australia * Jackson, Queensland, a town in the Maranoa Region * Jackson North, Queensland, a locality in the Maranoa Region * Jackson South, Queensland, a locality in the Maranoa Region * Jackson oil field in Durham, ...
beyond this point and crosses the South Fork of the Forked Deer River. Passing through northern Jackson, the Interstate widens to six lanes and has six urban interchanges. In quick succession, the highway intersects US 412, which connects to
Alamo The Battle of the Alamo (February 23 – March 6, 1836) was a pivotal event and military engagement in the Texas Revolution. Following a 13-day siege, Mexican troops under President General Antonio López de Santa Anna reclaimed the Alam ...
and Dyersburg; the US 45 Bypass (US 45 Byp.); and US 45 (North Highland Avenue), which also provides access to Humboldt and
Milan Milan ( , , ; ) is a city in northern Italy, regional capital of Lombardy, the largest city in Italy by urban area and the List of cities in Italy, second-most-populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of nea ...
. The Interstate passes through a residential area and reaches US 70, which connects to
Huntingdon Huntingdon is a market town in the Huntingdonshire district of Cambridgeshire, England. The town was given its town charter by John, King of England, King John in 1205. It was the county town of the historic county of Huntingdonshire. Oliver C ...
. I-40 then shrinks back to four lanes. The highway continues east-northeast through farmland and woodlands with low, rolling hills. After entering Henderson County, I-40 crosses the Middle Fork of the Forked Deer River. It intersects SR 22, a major north–south corridor in West Tennessee which accesses Lexington and Huntington, near the town of Parkers Crossroads. The Interstate then crosses the Big Sandy River before proceeding through the northern half of Natchez Trace State Park. Over the next few miles, the highway transitions several times between Henderson and Carroll counties before entering
Decatur County Decatur County is the name of various past and present counties in the United States, all named for Stephen Decatur Commodore (United States), Commodore Stephen Decatur Jr. (; January 5, 1779 – March 22, 1820) was a United States Navy of ...
. It reaches US 641/ SR 69, another major north–south corridor connecting Camden and Decaturville, at the Decatur– Benton county line. About later, the Interstate descends about on a steep grade over into the Western Valley of the Tennessee River; the westbound lanes have a truck-
climbing lane A climbing lane, crawler lane (UK), or truck lane, is an additional roadway lane that allows heavy or underpowered vehicles to ascend a steep Grade (slope), grade without slowing other traffic. They are typically used by large trucks or semi-trail ...
. Entering Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge at the bottom of the grade, I-40 crosses
Kentucky Lake Kentucky Lake is a major navigable river, navigable reservoir along the Tennessee River in Kentucky and Tennessee. It was created in 1944 by the Tennessee Valley Authority's impounding of the Tennessee River via Kentucky Dam for flood control a ...
, a
Tennessee River The Tennessee River is a long river located in the Southern United States, southeastern United States in the Tennessee Valley. Flowing through the states of Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, and Kentucky, it begins at the confluence of Fren ...
reservoir, on the Jimmy Mann Evans Memorial Bridge into
Middle Tennessee Middle Tennessee is one of the three Grand Divisions of Tennessee that composes roughly the central portion of the state. It is delineated according to state law as 41 of the state's 95 counties. Middle Tennessee contains the state's capital an ...
.


Middle Tennessee


Western Highland Rim

Crossing the Tennessee River into Humphreys County, I-40 exits the refuge after a few miles and traverses vast woodlands in the rugged hills of the Western
Highland Rim The Highland Rim is a geographic term for the area in Tennessee, North Alabama, and Kentucky which surrounds the Central Basin. The Central Basin is a geological dome which has subsequently fractured and eroded to produce a basin. The Highland R ...
. This section is characterized by several ascents and descents, with the route roughly following a crooked stream valley. About beyond the river, the highway crosses the Buffalo River and intersects SR 13, which connects to Linden and Waverly. It then descends another steep grade, again with a westbound truck-climbing lane, and crosses into Hickman County. It soon reaches SR 50, which connects to Centerville, and crosses the Duck River. The highway enters Dickson County several miles later, where it reaches SR 48 and access to Centerville and Dickson. I-40 then crosses the Piney River. Several miles beyond this point is an interchange with SR 46, the primary exit for Dickson, which also provides access to Centerville and Columbia. Near the town of
Burns Burns may refer to: Astronomy * 2708 Burns, an asteroid * Burns (crater), on Mercury People * Burns (surname), list of people and characters named Burns ** Burns (musician), Scottish record producer Places in the United States * Burns, ...
, I-40 reaches the western terminus of I-840, the outer southern
beltway A ring road (also known as circular road, beltline, beltway, circumferential (high)way, loop or orbital) is a road or a series of connected roads encircling a town, city or country. The most common purpose of a ring road is to assist in reducin ...
around Nashville. The highway continues through woodlands and rugged terrain and, crossing into Williamson County, ascends steeply for a short distance with an eastbound truck-climbing lane. Along this ascent is an interchange with SR 96, which connects to the Nashville suburbs of Fairview and Franklin. The Interstate enters Cheatham County a few miles later, and gradually descends into the
Nashville Basin The Nashville Basin, also known as the Central Basin, is a term often used to describe the area surrounding Murfreesboro, Tennessee, in which Nashville is located. The Central Basin was caused by an uplifting which produced a dome known as the ...
. It then passes the towns of Kingston Springs and Pegram, and crosses the
Harpeth River The Harpeth River, long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed June 8, 2011 is one of the major streams of north-central Middle Tennessee, United States, and one of the major ...
twice in quick succession.


Nashville

Around milepost 191, I-40 enters Davidson County and crosses the Harpeth River for the third time a few miles later. Entering the urbanized parts of the
Nashville metropolitan area The Nashville metropolitan area (officially the Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN Metropolitan Statistical Area) is a metropolitan statistical area in north-central Tennessee. Its principal city is Nashville, the capital of and l ...
, the Interstate widens to six lanes near
Bellevue Bellevue means "beautiful view" in French. Bellevue or Belle Vue may refer to: Places Australia * Bellevue, Queensland * Bellevue, Western Australia * Bellevue Hill, New South Wales Canada * Bellevue, Alberta * Bellevue, Newfoundlan ...
. The highway enters the outskirts of Nashville, the state capital and Tennessee's largest city, and intersects US 70S near a bend in the
Cumberland River The Cumberland River is a major waterway of the Southern United States. The U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed June 8, 2011 river drains almost of southern Kentucky and ...
. It then reaches Old Hickory Boulevard ( SR 251) and intersects US 70 (Charlotte Avenue) a few miles later. I-40 then widens to eight lanes, and has a four-level interchange with SR 155 (Briley Parkway, White Bridge Road) which includes the western terminus of a northern controlled-access beltway around Nashville. South of
Tennessee State University Tennessee State University (Tennessee State, Tenn State, or TSU) is a public historically black land-grant university in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1912, it is the only state-funded historically black university in Tennes ...
is the western terminus of I-440, the southern loop around central Nashville, where I-40 goes down to six lanes. The highway briefly passes through the Jefferson Street neighborhood before entering downtown Nashville near
Fisk University Fisk University is a Private university, private Historically black colleges and universities, historically black Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Nashville, Tennessee. It was founded in 1866 and its campus i ...
, where it begins a brief concurrency with
I-65 Interstate 65 (I-65) is a major north–south interstate highway in the central United States. As with most primary interstates ending in 5, it is a major crosscountry, north–south route, connecting between the Great Lakes and the Gulf ...
and turns southeast. As part of the Inner Loop encircling downtown Nashville, the two concurrent Interstates have interchanges in quick succession with US 70 (Charlotte Avenue), US 70S/ 431 (Broadway), Church Street, and Demonbreun Street. Next they shift east-northeast near
Music Row Music Row is a historic district located southwest of downtown Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Widely considered the heart of Nashville's entertainment industry, Music Row has also become a metonymous nickname for the music industry as ...
and the neighborhoods of The Gulch and SoBro, where I-65 turns south toward
Huntsville, Alabama Huntsville is the List of municipalities in Alabama, most populous city in the U.S. state of Alabama. The population of the city is estimated to be 241,114 in 2024, making it the List of United States cities by population, 100th-most populous ...
. Briefly independent for about , I-40 crosses a viaduct and intersects US 31A/ US 41A (4th Avenue, 2nd Avenue) before beginning a brief concurrency with I-24. The concurrent Interstates turn southeast, expanding back to eight lanes. I-24 then turns southeast towards
Chattanooga Chattanooga ( ) is a city in Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States, and its county seat. It is located along the Tennessee River and borders Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the south. With a population of 181,099 in 2020, it is Tennessee ...
, and I-40 shifts eastward. The eastern terminus of I-440 and a connector road to US 41/70S (Murfreesboro Road) are accessible from the westbound lanes of I-40 at this interchange. Entering the Donelson neighborhood, I-40 intersects SR 155 (Briley Parkway) near
Nashville International Airport Nashville International Airport is a public/military airport in the southeastern section of Nashville, Tennessee, Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Established in 1937, its original name was Berry Field, from which its ICAO and IATA identi ...
. Beginning here, the left lanes are HOV lanes during rush hour. A partial exit accesses an airport connector road; immediately beyond is a second airport access road at SR 255 (Donelson Pike). Shifting northeast, I-40 crosses the Stones River near J. Percy Priest Dam. Entering the southern fringes of the Hermitage neighborhood, the highway meets Old Hickory Boulevard again at an interchange with SR 45 and once again shifts eastward into a straightaway. I-40 enters Wilson County and then has an interchange with SR 171 in the suburb of Mount Juliet. Entering another long straightaway, the highway intersects SR 109 after some distance, which provides access to Gallatin to the north. A few miles later, it has a
trumpet interchange In the field of road transport, an interchange (American English) or a grade-separated junction (British English) is a road junction that uses grade separations to allow for the movement of traffic between two or more roadways or highways, usi ...
with the eastern terminus of I-840 east of
Lebanon Lebanon, officially the Republic of Lebanon, is a country in the Levant region of West Asia. Situated at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian Peninsula, it is bordered by Syria to the north and east, Israel to the south ...
. I-40 then enters Lebanon, shrinking back to four lanes, and interchanges with US 231 and US 70.


Eastern Nashville Basin, Eastern Highland Rim, and Cumberland Plateau

The highway continues primarily across farmland for about , passing a number of small communities. East of Lebanon, it enters Smith County and begins a steep ascent with an eastbound truck-climbing lane. Beyond this point is an interchange with SR 53 in Gordonsville and near
Carthage Carthage was an ancient city in Northern Africa, on the eastern side of the Lake of Tunis in what is now Tunisia. Carthage was one of the most important trading hubs of the Ancient Mediterranean and one of the most affluent cities of the classic ...
. Between mileposts 263 and 266, the highway crosses the meandering Caney Fork River five times before entering Putnam County. I-40 then again intersects SR 96 in Buffalo Valley, where it shifts southeast and begins climbing out of the Nashville Basin onto the Eastern Highland Rim. The moderately-steep grade is about long. Near the top, the Interstate reaches an elevation of for the first time in Tennessee, close to Silver Point. The highway then curves northeast and begins a concurrency with SR 56, which connects to Smithville and McMinnville to the south. I-40 then gradually shifts eastward for several miles before reaching Baxter, where SR 56 splits off and heads north toward Gainesboro. The Interstate has five interchanges in Cookeville, including one with SR 111 (a major north–south connector to Chattanooga) and another with US 70N. It then crosses
Falling Water River The Falling Water River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed June 8, 2011 stream in the east-central portion of Middle Tennessee in the United States. It rises just west ...
and begins a steep, approximately ascent onto the
Cumberland Plateau The Cumberland Plateau is the southern part of the Appalachian Plateau in the Appalachian Mountains of the United States. It includes much of eastern Kentucky and Tennessee, and portions of northern Alabama and northwest Georgia. The terms " Al ...
, reaching an elevation of nearly at the top. The speed limit along this section reduces to for trucks on the westbound descent. The Interstate then continues through a wooded area before reaching
Monterey Monterey ( ; ) is a city situated on the southern edge of Monterey Bay, on the Central Coast of California. Located in Monterey County, the city occupies a land area of and recorded a population of 30,218 in the 2020 census. The city was fou ...
and turning southeast. Here it has two interchanges with US 70N, the first of which has a concurrency with SR 84. After a few miles, the highway reaches an elevation of just before crossing into
Cumberland County Cumberland County may refer to: Australia * Cumberland County, New South Wales * the former name of Cumberland Land District, Tasmania, Australia Canada *Cumberland County, Nova Scotia United Kingdom * Cumberland, historic county *Cumberl ...
and
East Tennessee East Tennessee is one of the three Grand Divisions of Tennessee defined in state law. Geographically and socioculturally distinct, it comprises approximately the eastern third of the U.S. state of Tennessee. East Tennessee consists of 33 coun ...
.


East Tennessee


Cumberland Plateau and Tennessee Valley

After climbing the Cumberland Plateau, I-40 remains moderately flat and straight as it continues east through a mix of wooded areas and farmland. The highway crosses the
Tennessee Valley Divide The Tennessee Valley Divide is the boundary of the drainage basin of the Tennessee River and its tributaries. The Tennessee River drainage basin begins with its tributaries in southwestern Virginia and flows generally west to the confluence of t ...
, where the
Cumberland Cumberland ( ) is an area of North West England which was historically a county. The county was bordered by Northumberland to the north-east, County Durham to the east, Westmorland to the south-east, Lancashire to the south, and the Scottish ...
and
Tennessee Tennessee (, ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Kentucky to the north, Virginia to the northeast, North Carolina t ...
river watersheds meet, at mile marker 308. The Interstate reaches Crossville, where it crosses the
Obed River Obed River is a stream draining a part of the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee, the United States. It, and particularly its tributaries, are important streams for whitewater enthusiasts. The Obed River rises in Cumberland County, Tennessee, just ...
, about later. This city has three interchanges, including one with US 127 to Jamestown. East of Crossville, the Crab Orchard Mountains (the southern range of the
Cumberland Mountains The Cumberland Mountains are a mountain range in the southeastern section of the Appalachian Mountains. They are located in western Virginia, southwestern West Virginia, the eastern edges of Kentucky, and eastern middle Tennessee, including the ...
) come into view; the road descends several hundred feet, and the westbound highway has a truck-climbing lane. After a few miles, I-40 intersects a connector road to US 70 near the town of Crab Orchard. It winds through Crab Orchard Gap, a narrow pass at the base of the Cumberland Mountains which was once prone to rockslides. The Interstate then briefly ascends, with the eastbound lanes adding a truck-climbing lane. At the top it enters Roane County, also transitioning from Central to
Eastern Time The Eastern Time Zone (ET) is a time zone encompassing part or all of 23 states in the eastern part of the United States, parts of eastern Canada, and the state of Quintana Roo in Mexico. * Eastern Standard Time (EST) is five hours behi ...
. The Interstate then curves northeast and begins a descent from the Cumberland Plateau to the
Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians The Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians, also called the Ridge and Valley Province or the Valley and Ridge Appalachians, are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Highlands division. The physiographic province is divided into three se ...
, also known as the Tennessee Valley or Great Valley of East Tennessee. On the descent, the eastbound speed limit drops to . The highway hugs the slopes of the plateau's
Walden Ridge Walden Ridge (or Walden's Ridge) is a mountain ridge and escarpment located in Tennessee in the United States. It marks the eastern edge of the Cumberland Plateau and is generally considered part of it. Walden Ridge is about long, running genera ...
escarpment for several miles, containing what the geologist Harry Moore called "dramatic views" of the Tennessee Valley, before reaching the base of the plateau about below. I-40 then shifts eastward between Harriman and Rockwood, interchanging with US 27. The highway then crosses a series of parallel ridges and valleys characteristic of the region's topography. It intersects SR 29 and crosses the
Clinch River The Clinch River is a river that flows southwest for more than through the Great Appalachian Valley in the U.S. states of Virginia and Tennessee, gathering various tributaries, including the Powell River, before joining the Tennessee River in ...
, with the
Kingston Fossil Plant Kingston Fossil Plant, commonly known as Kingston Steam Plant, is a 1.4-gigawatt (1,398 megawatt, MW) coal-fired power plant located in Roane County, Tennessee, Roane County, just outside Kingston, Tennessee, on the shore of Watts Bar Lake. It is ...
and its twin smokestacks dominating the view to the north. After an interchange with SR 58 southbound in
Kingston Kingston may refer to: Places * List of places called Kingston, including the six most populated: ** Kingston, Jamaica ** Kingston upon Hull, England ** City of Kingston, Victoria, Australia ** Kingston, Ontario, Canada ** Kingston upon Thames, ...
, the Interstate begins a brief concurrency with this route. It climbs a short, relatively-steep ridge out of the Clinch River Valley, and SR 58 splits off to the north toward Oak Ridge. Continuing through rugged terrain and across additional ridges, the Interstate enters Loudon County and intersects US 321/ SR 95 near Lenoir City before reaching I-75.


Knoxville

I-40 merges with
I-75 Interstate 75 (I-75) is a major north–south Interstate Highway System, Interstate Highway in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes and Southeastern United States, Southeastern regions of the United States. As with most Interstates that end ...
, which continues southwest to Chattanooga, about west-southwest of downtown Knoxville. The two routes turn east-northeast, carrying six through lanes, and enter Knox County. After climbing a ridge, the Interstates have a long straightaway and pass through the Knoxville suburb of Farragut. The road widens to eight lanes at SR 131 (Lovell Road) and intersects the
Pellissippi Parkway The Pellissippi Parkway is a major highway in Knox and Blount counties in the Knoxville metropolitan area in Tennessee that extends from State Route 62 at Solway to SR 33 in Alcoa. It provides access to the cities of Oak Ri ...
(SR 162 northbound, I-140 eastbound), which connects to Oak Ridge and Maryville respectively. Proceeding through West Knoxville, the two routes intersect local roads before reaching a connector to US 11/ 70 (
Kingston Pike Kingston Pike is a highway in Knox County, Tennessee, United States, that connects Downtown Knoxville with West Knoxville, Farragut, and other communities in the western part of the county. The road follows a merged stretch of U.S. Route&nb ...
) near the West Hills neighborhood. An interchange with SR 332 (Northshore Drive) and Papermill and Weisgarber Roads follows. The routes reach the western terminus of I-640, a beltway which bypasses downtown to the north, later. Here I-75 splits off from I-40 onto a brief concurrency with I-640 to
Lexington, Kentucky Lexington is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city coterminous with and the county seat of Fayette County, Kentucky, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census the city's population was 322,570, making it the List of ...
. The Interstate then enters downtown Knoxville with six through lanes and several short segments of
auxiliary lane Auxiliary may refer to: In language * Auxiliary language (disambiguation) * Auxiliary verb In military and law enforcement * Auxiliary police * Auxiliaries, civilians or quasi-military personnel who provide support of some kind to a military ...
s between exits. Passing near the main campus of the
University of Tennessee The University of Tennessee, Knoxville (or The University of Tennessee; UT; UT Knoxville; or colloquially UTK or Tennessee) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Knoxville, Tennessee, United St ...
and several residential neighborhoods, the Interstate intersects the northern terminus of US 129 (Alcoa Highway), a controlled-access highway accessing
McGhee Tyson Airport McGhee Tyson Airport is a public/military airport south of Knoxville, Tennessee, Knoxville,. Federal Aviation Administration. effective April 17, 2025. in Alcoa, Tennessee. It is named for United States Navy pilot Charles McGhee Tyson, who wa ...
and
Great Smoky Mountains National Park Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a List of national parks of the United States, national park of the United States in the southeastern United States, southeast, with parts in North Carolina and Tennessee. The park straddles the ridgeline o ...
. Next is an exit for SR 62 (Western Avenue), followed by a three-level interchange with the southern terminus of I-275; the eastbound lanes also have access to US 441 southbound (Henley Street). The highway crosses a long viaduct over a
rail yard A rail yard, railway yard, railroad yard (US) or simply yard, is a series of Track (rail transport), tracks in a rail network for storing, sorting, or loading and unloading rail vehicles and locomotives. Yards have many tracks in parallel for k ...
before reaching an interchange with SR 158 (James White Parkway) westbound, a controlled-access spur which accesses downtown Knoxville and the University of Tennessee to the south. I-40 then curves north and northeast before an interchange with a connector to US 441. It enters a predominantly-residential area, passing Zoo Knoxville, and reaches an interchange with US 11W (Rutledge Pike). The Interstate then reaches the eastern terminus of I-640, shifting eastward and beginning a brief, unsigned concurrency with US 25W and SR 9. These routes split off at an interchange with US 11E/70 (Asheville Highway). Leaving Knoxville, the Interstate crosses the
Holston River The Holston River is a river that flows from Kingsport, Tennessee, to Knoxville, Tennessee. Along with its three major forks (North Fork, Middle Fork and South Fork), it comprises a major river system that drains much of northeastern Tennessee ...
.


Smoky Mountains and Pigeon River gorge

Continuing east as a six-lane highway, I-40 travels through Strawberry Plains before entering Sevier County several miles later. Near
Kodak The Eastman Kodak Company, referred to simply as Kodak (), is an American public company that produces various products related to its historic basis in film photography. The company is headquartered in Rochester, New York, and is incorporated i ...
is Exit 407 with SR 66 and the northern terminus of the Great Smoky Mountains Parkway, where the Interstate begins an unsigned concurrency with the former. This interchange is the primary access to the
Great Smoky Mountains National Park Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a List of national parks of the United States, national park of the United States in the southeastern United States, southeast, with parts in North Carolina and Tennessee. The park straddles the ridgeline o ...
and tourist attractions in Sevierville,
Pigeon Forge Pigeon Forge is a mountain resort city in Sevier County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 6,343 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Situated north of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Pigeon Forge is a tourist destinatio ...
, and Gatlinburg, and is one of Tennessee's busiest non-Interstate exits. Gradually turning northeast, the highway enters Jefferson County. After a gradual ascent of about , the highway intersects US 25W/70 near Dandridge, where SR 66 also splits off. It then enters northern Dandridge, where it meets SR 92. I-40 intersects the southern terminus of I-81, which runs into northeast Tennessee to the Tri-Cities of
Bristol Bristol () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, the most populous city in the region. Built around the River Avon, Bristol, River Avon, it is bordered by t ...
, Kingsport, and Johnson City. Here, I-40 reduces to four lanes and turns 90 degrees southeast. Beginning a moderate descent, the highway crosses the Douglas Lake reservoir of the
French Broad River The French Broad River is a river in the U.S. states of North Carolina and Tennessee. It flows from near the town of Rosman, North Carolina, Rosman in Transylvania County, North Carolina, into Tennessee, where its confluence with the Holston R ...
a few miles later and enters Cocke County after a gradual climb. Near Newport is an interchange with US 25W/70, near the northern terminus of US 411. Traversing the northern foothills of English Mountain, the Interstate turns south to an interchange with US 321. After leaving Newport, the road crosses the Pigeon River, intersects SR 73 near Cosby, and again turns south for a view of Mount Cammerer at the northeastern end of the
Great Smoky Mountains The Great Smoky Mountains (, ''Equa Dutsusdu Dodalv'') are a mountain range rising along the Tennessee–North Carolina border in the southeastern United States. They are a subrange of the Appalachian Mountains and form part of the Blue Ridg ...
. The highway crosses the Pigeon River again and intersects the eastern terminus of the Foothills Parkway before crossing the river a final time and curving sharply east. I-40 then enters the
Cherokee National Forest The Cherokee National Forest is a United States National Forest located in the U.S. states of Tennessee and North Carolina that was created on June 14, 1920. The forest is maintained and managed by the United States Forest Service. It encompas ...
and snakes through the Pigeon River gorge between the Great Smoky Mountains on the south and the
Bald Mountains The Bald Mountains are a mountain range rising along the border between Tennessee and North Carolina in the southeastern United States. They are part of the Blue Ridge Mountain Province of the Southern Appalachian Mountains. The Bald Mountain ...
on the north, following the river's north bank. Due to hazardous curves, the speed limit is reduced to and trucks are prohibited from using the left lane. This stretch is also prone to rockslides, and has mesh nets along some of the cliff slopes. The route gradually curves southeast near
Hartford Hartford is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The city, located in Hartford County, Connecticut, Hartford County, had a population of 121,054 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 ce ...
and, after several miles, crosses the
Appalachian Trail The Appalachian Trail, also called the A.T., is a hiking trail in the Eastern United States, extending almost between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine, and passing through 14 states.Gailey, Chris (2006)"Appalachian Tra ...
and enters North Carolina.


"Music Highway" and honorary designations

"Music Highway" refers to the section of I-40 between Memphis and Nashville, which was designated as such by the
Tennessee General Assembly The Tennessee General Assembly (TNGA) is the state legislature (United States), state legislature of the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is a part-time bicameral legislature consisting of a Tennessee Senate, Senate and a Tennessee House of Representa ...
in 1997. The designation is "from the eastern boundary of Davidson County to the
Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the main stem, primary river of the largest drainage basin in the United States. It is the second-longest river in the United States, behind only the Missouri River, Missouri. From its traditional source of Lake Ita ...
in Shelby County", a distance of about . It commemorates the roles played by Memphis, Nashville, and the areas in between in the development of
American popular music American popular music (also referred to as "American Pop") is popular music produced in the United States and is a part of American pop culture. Distinctive styles of American popular music emerged early in the 19th century, and in the 20th ...
. Memphis is known as "the Home of the
Blues Blues is a music genre and musical form that originated among African Americans in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues has incorporated spiritual (music), spirituals, work songs, field hollers, Ring shout, shouts, cha ...
and the Birthplace of Rock and Roll", and Nashville is known as "Music City" for its influence on country music. Several cities and towns between the cities, including
Jackson Jackson may refer to: Places Australia * Jackson, Queensland, a town in the Maranoa Region * Jackson North, Queensland, a locality in the Maranoa Region * Jackson South, Queensland, a locality in the Maranoa Region * Jackson oil field in Durham, ...
, Brownsville, Nutbush, Tennessee, Nutbush, and Waverly, were birthplaces (or homes) of singers and songwriters. Signs with the words "Music Highway" and musical notes are along I-40 in both directions throughout this section, and rest areas are named for associated musicians or bands. Several sections of I-40 also bear honorary names in Tennessee. In Memphis, the freeway was designated as "Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Expressway" in 1971 after the Martin Luther King Jr., civil rights leader who was Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., assassinated there in 1968. The stretch in eastern Shelby County was named "Isaac Hayes Memorial Highway" in 2010 after Isaac Hayes, a singer-songwriter who was one of the creative forces behind Stax Records in Memphis. The stretch between Nashville and Crossville was named "Senator Tommy Burks Memorial Highway" in 1999 after a Tommy Burks, state senator who was assassinated the previous year and commonly drove the route between the state capitol and his home in Cookeville. In 1990, the segment from near Farragut to the North Carolina line was named "Troy A. McGill Memorial Highway" after Troy A. McGill, a Knoxville-born U.S. Army soldier who posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Admiralty Islands campaign in World War II. The name was changed to "Troy A. McGill Medal of Honor Memorial Highway" in 2022. In 2023, the stretch through Cocke County was named "Charles L. McGaha Medal of Honor Memorial Highway" after Charles L. McGaha, a soldier from Cosby who won the Medal of Honor for service in the Philippines campaign (1944–1945), 1944–1945 Philippines campaign in World War II. A number of short sections, bridges, and interchanges are named for Tennessee Highway Patrol, state troopers and TDOT employees killed in the line of duty, as well as local politicians and other prominent citizens. On September 24, 2008, a monument at the Smith County Rest Area that lists the names of each TDOT worker killed in the line of duty since 1948 was dedicated. Several major bridges on I-40 also have honorary names. The "Hernando de Soto Bridge" is named for the Hernando de Soto, 16th century Spanish explorer and conquistador who was the first European to cross the Mississippi River. The "Jimmy Mann Evans Memorial Bridge" is named for a TDOT commissioner who served from 1987 until his death in 1992. The "Samuel T. Rayburn Memorial Bridge" over the Clinch River is named for a Sam Rayburn, Texas congressman who was the longest serving Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, Speaker of the US House of Representatives. The Holston River bridge is named for both Ralph K. Adcock and Bid Anderson, two Tennessee House of Representatives, state representatives from the area. The "Frances Burnett Swann Memorial Bridge" across the French Broad River was designated in 1963 for the wife of Alfred Swann, who served in the Confederate States Army, Confederate Army during the American Civil War.


History


Predecessor highways

Before the settlement of Tennessee by European Americans, a series of Native Americans in the United States, Native American trails existed in what is now the I-40 corridor. The Cumberland Trace (also known as Tollunteeskee's Trail) was a Cherokee trail which passed through the central
Cumberland Plateau The Cumberland Plateau is the southern part of the Appalachian Plateau in the Appalachian Mountains of the United States. It includes much of eastern Kentucky and Tennessee, and portions of northern Alabama and northwest Georgia. The terms " Al ...
, and was first used by settlers and explorers in the 1760s. The North Carolina General Assembly (which controlled present-day Tennessee) authorized in 1787 construction of a trail between the southern end of Clinch Mountain (near present-day Knoxville) and the Cumberland Association, which included modern-day Nashville. Completed the following year, the trail became known as Avery's Trace and followed several Native American trails. After the creation of the Southwest Territory, the territorial legislature on July 10, 1795, authorized a wagon trail to be constructed between Knoxville and Nashville. The trail, officially named the Cumberland Turnpike, became popularly known as the Walton Road for one of its surveyors: William Walton, an American Revolutionary War veteran. Built from 1799 to 1801 at a cost of $1,000 (equivalent to $ in ), it was constructed from portions of Tollunteeskee's Trail, Avery's Trace, and the Emery Road (an earlier trail cleared by settlers) and passed through Kingston, Carthage, and Gallatin. In 1911, a series of Tennessee businesspeople formed the Memphis to Bristol Highway Association to encourage the state to improve the roads which ran between Memphis and
Bristol Bristol () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, the most populous city in the region. Built around the River Avon, Bristol, River Avon, it is bordered by t ...
. After the 1915 formation of the Tennessee Department of Highways and Public Works, the predecessor to TDOT, the agency designated these roads as the Memphis to Bristol Highway, and numbered them Tennessee State Route 1, SR 1 eight years later. When the United States Numbered Highway System was formed in 1926, the route connecting Memphis and Knoxville became part of US 70 and US 70S; the route from Knoxville to Bristol was designated as part of US 11 and US 11W. The highway became part of the Broadway of America auto trail linking California and New York (state), New York in the late 1920s.


Planning

The first segment included in Tennessee's I-40 was a controlled-access highway in Knoxville, the state's first, which was constructed by state and local governments. Known initially as the Magnolia Avenue Expressway and later renamed the Frank Regas Expressway, the highway originated from a 1945 plan which recommended that a number of expressways be constructed in Knoxville to relieve congestion on surface streets. Planners intended these highways to be integrated into the proposed nationwide highway network that became the
Interstate Highway System The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, commonly known as the Interstate Highway System, or the Eisenhower Interstate System, is a network of controlled-access highways that forms part of the National Hi ...
, which was expected to be authorized by Congress. The highway's location and design was finalized in a 1948 plan, and construction began on October 1, 1951. The first segment, between Unaka Street and Tulip Avenue, was completed on November 14, 1952; the second segment, joining Tulip Avenue and Gay Street (Knoxville), Gay Street, was completed on December 10, 1955. The Magnolia Avenue Expressway had a cloverleaf interchange which was reused for the intersection with I-75 (now I-275) and US 441. This configuration quickly developed a reputation for severe congestion and a high accident rate, and became known locally as "Malfunction Junction". The general location of the highway which became I-40 was included in the National Interregional Highway Committee's 1944 report, "Interregional Highways", and a 1947 plan produced by the Public Roads Administration of the Federal Works Agency. The only area which presented a challenge to planners was the Blue Ridge Mountains, with residents of Western North Carolina divided over whether the Interstate should follow the Pigeon River or the French Broad River to the north. Surveys for both routes were authorized in 1945, and the first survey for the former was made in 1948. After additional studies, the North Carolina Highway Commission recommended the Pigeon River gorge route in 1955; this was approved by the Bureau of Public Roads (predecessor to the Federal Highway Administration) on April 12, 1956. The Tennessee leg of I-40 was among of Interstate Highways authorized for the state by the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956, commonly known as the Interstate Highway Act. Its numbering was approved by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, American Association of State Highway Officials on August 14, 1957. At long, I-40 in Tennessee was initially the longest segment of Interstate Highway in a single state east of the Mississippi River until an extension of Interstate 75 in Florida, I-75 in Florida was authorized by the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1968. The first design contract for I-40 in Tennessee was awarded on March 4, 1956, for a short section in Davidson County. Within a year, design contracts had been awarded for sections in Davidson, Knox County, Tennessee, Knox, Roane County, Tennessee, Roane, Haywood County, Tennessee, Haywood, Madison County, Tennessee, Madison, Jefferson County, Tennessee, Jefferson, and Cocke County, Tennessee, Cocke counties. By 1958, design work was underway for most of the entire Tennessee route.


Earlier construction

The first contract for construction of I-40 in Tennessee as part of the Interstate Highway System was awarded on August 2, 1957, for a section in Roane County near Kingston, between the
Clinch River The Clinch River is a river that flows southwest for more than through the Great Appalachian Valley in the U.S. states of Virginia and Tennessee, gathering various tributaries, including the Powell River, before joining the Tennessee River in ...
and SR 58; construction began the following month. Construction of I-40 between Memphis and Nashville began on September 18, 1958, in Madison County near Jackson. On October 19, 1961, the bridge over the Clinch Riverconstructed at a cost of $2.4 million (equivalent to $ in )was dedicated and opened to traffic by Governor Buford Ellington. The section linking US 70 east of Brownsville and US 70 in Jackson, known at the time as the Jackson Bypass, was opened to traffic on December 1, 1961. The following day, the segment opened between the Clinch River bridge in Kingston and Papermill Road in Knoxville. On October 31, 1962, the section connecting Tennessee State Route 113, SR 113 near Dandridge and US 25W/70 in Newport opened. The first section of I-40 in Middle Tennessee to be completed was the stretch from SR 96 in Williamson County and US 70S in Bellevue, which opened on November 1, 1962. The following day, the segment joining SR 56 near Silver Point and US 70N in Cookeville saw its first traffic. The segment from US 70S in Bellevue and US 70 in western Nashville opened on November 15, 1962. In Memphis, the segment between I-240/Sam Cooper Boulevard and US 64/70/79then part of I-240was dedicated on October 9, 1963, by Governor Frank G. Clement and opened to traffic 14 days later. That same month, contracts for the last sections between Memphis and Nashville were let. Clement opened and dedicated the stretch linking SR 59 near Braden and US 70 east of Brownsville on December 17, 1963. Four days later, the segment from SR 53 in Gordonsville to SR 56 near Silver Point opened. On June 2, 1964, the segment connecting SR 46 in Dickson and SR 96 in Williamson County was completed. The opening of the Knoxville stretch linking Papermill Road and Liberty Street was announced on September 4, 1964. Two non-contiguous sectionsbetween US 27 in Harriman and the Clinch River Bridge in Kingston, and from Liberty to Unaka Street in downtown Knoxvillewere opened on December 4, 1964. Two separate stretches, linking I-240 in Memphis and SR 59 in Braden, and connecting US 70 in Jackson and SR 22 in Parkers Crossroads, were dedicated by Clement 10 days later. In Nashville, the link between Fesslers and Spence Lanes (including the eastern interchange with I-24) was declared complete on January 11, 1965. The adjacent link to the west, between the western interchange with I-24 and Fesslers Lane, was partially opened in late December 1963 with the nearby Silliman Evans Bridge; it fully opened on April 19, 1965. Work began on the bridge over the Tennessee River on November 29, 1962, and was completed on July 21, 1965, at a cost of $4.62 million (equivalent to $ in ). Several segments of the western portion of the stretch connecting Spence Lane in Nashville and US 70 in Lebanon were opened to local traffic in 1963; the entire stretch was dedicated by Clement on August 26, 1965. The segment from SR 13 in Humphreys County and Tennessee State Route 230, SR 230 in Hickman County was completed on November 24, 1965. On December 20, 1965, four segments were declared complete by the state highway department: the stretch connecting US 70 in Lebanon to SR 53 in Gordonsville, the segment from the Tennessee River to SR 13 in Humphreys County, the stretch linking US 70N in Cookeville and US 70N in Monterey, and the segment from US 25W/70 to US 321 in Newport. On July 24, 1966, I-40 was completed between Memphis and Nashville with the opening of the segment from SR 22 in Parkers Crossroads to SR 46 near Dickson after seven months of weather-related delays. The Nashville section between US 70 and 46th Avenue was also completed. A dedication ceremony, officiated by Clement and US Senator Albert Gore Sr., was held on the Tennessee River Bridge. This was the first Interstate Highway segment between two major cities in Tennessee, and cost $109.87 million (equivalent to $ in ).


Later construction

The section joining US 25W/70 to SR 113 in Jefferson County, including the interchange with I-81, was completed in December 1966. On April 11, 1967, the segment in Knoxville from Gay Street to US 11W opened. The segment linking US 70N in Monterey and US 127 in Crossville opened to traffic on December 1 of that year. The final section of I-40 in Knoxville to be completed was the segment connecting US 11W and US 11E/25W/70, which opened on December 19, 1967, to eastbound traffic and on June 21, 1968, to westbound traffic. The segment from US 127 in Crossville to US 70 in Crab Orchard opened on September 12, 1968. The adjacent section, extending to Tennessee State Route 299, SR 299 near the eastern escarpment of the Cumberland Plateau, followed on September 26, 1969. The section through the Pigeon River Gorge in Cocke County into North Carolina was initially believed by some engineers to be impossible to build and was among the nation's most difficult and laborious highway projects, requiring thousands of tons of earth and rock to be moved. It was one of the most expensive highway construction projects per mile, at a cost of $19 million (equivalent to $ in ). Work began in 1961; grading and bridge construction was complete by the end of 1964, but paving was delayed to allow additional progress in North Carolina. On October 24, 1968, the stretch between US 321/SR 32 in Newport and U.S. Route 276, US 276 in Haywood County, North Carolina, was opened to traffic by both states with a dedication ceremony. In Nashville, the segment linking 46th Avenue with I-65 opened to traffic on March 15, 1971. The Memphis section from US 51 to Chelsea Avenue, including the Midtown interchange with I-240 (then I-255), opened on July 14 of that year. Work on the final segment between Memphis and Knoxville, approximately from the interchange with I-65 to the western split with I-24 southeast of downtown Nashville (including the concurrency with I-65), began in May 1969 and opened on March 3, 1972. This completed all of I-40 from Memphis to SR 299, near Rockwood, and the last stretch in Middle Tennessee. The last segment of the planned I-40 in West Tennessee to be completed was the Hernando de Soto Bridge in Memphis; construction began on May 2, 1967, and the bridge opened to traffic on August 2, 1973. The bridge, which cost $57 million (equivalent to $ in ), was dedicated by Tennessee Governor Winfield Dunn and Arkansas Governor Dale Bumpers on August 17, 1973. The segment from SR 299 to US 27 near Harriman and Rockwood, including the descent down Walden Ridge, was the last section of I-40 completed between Memphis and Knoxville, and was repeatedly delayed by geological problems. The westbound lanes opened to two-way traffic on November 18, 1972, and the complete section opened on August 19, 1974. Work started on this section in early 1966, and was originally expected to be completed by late 1968. The final segment of the planned route of I-40 in Tennessee, connecting US 11E/25W/70 east of Knoxville to US 25W/70 in Dandridge, was dedicated by Dunn and partially opened to traffic on December 20, 1974; it fully opened on September 12, 1975. Initially planned with four lanes, engineers chose to expand this segment to six lanes in 1972 after construction had begun, based on studies projecting a higher-than-average traffic volume. This segment, one of the nation's first rural six-lane highways, was also dedicated on the same day that the last sections of I-75 and I-81 in Tennessee were opened. The last section of I-40 in Tennessee to be completed linked Chelsea Avenue and US 64/70/79 in Memphis, and was originally part of I-240. Due to its location within a floodplain, an artificial fill of of sand and silt was required for the roadbed, most of which was dredged and pumped from the bottom of the Mississippi River via a pipeline. Contracts for this work were let in May and July 1974. Dredging and fill work was complete by the end of 1977, and the section was opened to traffic by Governor Lamar Alexander on March 28, 1980.


Controversies

I-40 was originally planned to pass through Overton Park in Memphis, a public park. This location was announced in 1955, and was approved by the Bureau of Public Roads in November 1956. The park consists of a wooded refuge, the Memphis Zoo, the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, the Memphis College of Art, a nine-hole golf course, an amphitheater which was the site of Elvis Presley's first paid concert in 1954, and other amenities. When the state announced the routing through the park, a group of local citizens spearheaded by a group of older women called "little old ladies in tennis shoes" by media outlets began a campaign to halt construction. The organizers collected over 10,000 signatures, and founded Citizens to Preserve Overton Park in 1957. The movement was also backed by environmental movement in the United States, environmentalists, who feared that the Interstate's construction would upset the park's ecological balance; the wooded area had become an important stopover for bird migration, migratory birds. The organization filed a lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee, US District Court for the Western District of Tennessee in December 1969 after the Secretary of Transportation John A. Volpe authorized the state to solicit bids the previous month. The suit was dismissed on February 26, 1970, by Judge Bailey Brown, which was subsequently upheld by the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals on September 29, 1970. The case was then appealed to the Supreme Court of the United States, US Supreme Court, which reversed the lower-court rulings in the List of landmark court decisions in the United States, landmark decision of ''Citizens to Preserve Overton Park v. Volpe'' on March 2, 1971. The court found that Volpe had violated clauses of the United States Department of Transportation#History, Department of Transportation Act of 1966 and the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1968, which prohibit the approval of federal funding for highway projects through public parks with feasible alternative routes. Tennessee continued exploring options to route I-40 through Overton Park for many years after this decision including tunneling under the park or constructing the highway below grade, but concluded that the alternatives were too expensive. On January 9, 1981, Governor Alexander submitted a request to Secretary of Transportation Neil Goldschmidt to cancel the route through Overton Park, which was approved seven days later. On June 28, 1982, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials approved an application by TDOT to redesignate the northern portion of I-240 as the remainder of I-40; this added about to the route. About of a controlled-access highway was built within the I-240 loop east of the park before the cancellation; this portion of highway was named Sam Cooper Boulevard in December 1986, and terminates at East Parkway in the Binghampton, Memphis, Binghampton neighborhood near the park. Right-of-way (transportation), Right-of-way was also acquired west of the park, and many structures were demolished to make way for the Interstate; some of these empty lots have since been built on. When the route was canceled, about $280 million (equivalent to $ in ) had been budgeted by the federal government for its construction; these funds were then diverted for other transportation improvements in the Memphis metropolitan area. I-40 passes through the Jefferson Street community in western Nashville, a predominantly African Americans in Tennessee, Black neighborhood which contains three Historically black colleges and universities, historically Black colleges and was home to a large African American middle class in the early-to-mid-20th century. Planners considered placing this section near Vanderbilt University, but settled on the current alignment by the mid-1950s. Before construction began, many residents believed that the Interstate would lead to the economic decline of their neighborhood and divide it from the rest of the city. Some also believed that the routing was an act of racial discrimination, and criticized the state for a lack of transparency about its plans. In October 1967, several residents of Jefferson Street formed the I-40 Steering Committee and filed a lawsuit against the state in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, US District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee in the hope forcing a reroute of the Interstate. Judge Frank Gray Jr. ruled against the committee on November 2, saying that there was no feasible alternate route. Gray conceded, however, that the methods used by the state to notify residents about the project were unsatisfactory and the route would have an adverse effect on their community. The organization appealed the decision to the Sixth Circuit, which unanimously upheld the lower court's decision on December 18; and to the Supreme Court, which refused to hear the case on January 29, 1968. The construction of I-40 through Jefferson Street resulted in many Black residents being displaced to the Bordeaux area of North Nashville, and led to the predicted economic downturn in the neighborhood.


Major projects and expansions


Memphis projects

The first
high-occupancy vehicle A high-occupancy vehicle lane (also known as an HOV lane, carpool lane, diamond lane, 2+ lane, and transit lane or T2 or T3 lanes) is a restricted traffic lane reserved for the exclusive use of vehicles with a driver and at least one passenger, i ...
(HOV) lanes in the Memphis area opened on September 15, 1997, on the section between I-240 and US 64 in Bartlett with the completion of a project widening the section from four to eight lanes. The cancellation of the section of I-40 through Overton Park rendered both interchanges with I-240 inadequate to handle the unplanned traffic patterns, necessitating their reconstruction; both interchanges also contained ramps with hazardously sharp curves. The eastern interchange was reconstructed with two projects. The first, which began in January 2001 and finished in October 2003, constructed a two-lane overpass from I-40 westbound to I-240 westbound; this replaced a one-lane loop ramp and widened the approach of I-240 south of the interchange. I-40 north of the interchange was also reconstructed in preparation for the second project, and the interchanges with US 64/70/79 (Summer Avenue) and White Station Road were modified. The second project, initially scheduled to begin in January 2004, was delayed until October 2013 due to funding and redesign complications. A two-lane overpass was built to carry I-40 eastbound traffic through the interchange, replacing a one-lane ramp. The single-lane ramp carrying I-40 westbound traffic through the interchange was repurposed as the exit ramp for Summer Avenue, and was replaced with a two-lane overpass connecting to the overpass constructed in the first project. This project also widened the ramp connecting I-240 eastbound and I-40 eastbound to three lanes, widened both approaches to the interchange on I-40, which required a new 14-lane bridge over the Wolf River, widened the approach on I-240 south of the interchange, added through lanes to Sam Cooper Boulevard, and reconfigured the Tennessee State Route 204, SR 204 (Covington Pike) interchange. It cost $109.3 million (equivalent to $ in ), the most expensive contract in state history at the time, and was completed on December 15, 2016. The interchange with the western terminus of I-240 near midtown Memphis was reconstructed between June 2003 and December 2006. This project converted the interchange into a interchange (road)#T and Y interchanges, directional T configuration, which required the demolition of several unused highway, unused ramps and bridges which had been built in the expectation that I-40 would continue east of the interchange. The nearby cloverleaf interchange with SR 14 (Jackson Avenue) was reduced to a partial cloverleaf interchange, and several additional auxiliary lanes and Frontage road, slip ramps were constructed. The northern merge point between I-40 and I-240 was moved north of the SR 14 interchange.


Nashville area

In November 1977, Tennessee Department of Transportation, TDOT installed a system to detect tailgating vehicles in the westbound lanes of the concurrent segment with I-24: sensors embedded in the roadway which were connected to overhead warning signs with flashing lights and horns. The system (the first of its kind in the country) experienced technical problems, was criticized as ineffective, and was decommissioned in July 1980. This segment of I-40 was widened from six to eight lanes between July 1979 and January 1980 by removing the right shoulders, narrowing the lanes by , and shifting traffic slightly to the left. The short segment of I-40 from east of the split with I-24/I-440 and east of SR 255 (Donelson Pike) in eastern Nashville was widened to six lanes from August 1986 to December 1987. From October 1987 to November 1989, the segment from east of SR 255 to east of SR 45 was widened from four to eight lanes. West of downtown Nashville, the section between SR 155 (Briley Parkway/White Bridge Road) and US 70 (Charlotte Pike) was expanded to six lanes from February 1988 to December 1989. From April 1991 to December 1992, the section in Bellevue linking US 70 and US 70S was widened to six lanes. The first HOV lanes on I-40 in Tennessee were opened to traffic on November 14, 1996, with the completion of a project which widened the section between west of SR 45 (Old Hickory Boulevard) in eastern Nashville and east of SR 171 in Mount Juliet from four to eight lanes. They were Tennessee's second set of HOV lanes. The project, which began in early 1995, was the state's first to use split Jersey barriers in the median every few miles to allow police enforcement from the left shoulder. The short stretch between SR 155 (Briley Parkway/White Bridge Road) and the western terminus of I-440 was modified from November 2002 to July 2005; it was widened to eight through lanes, auxiliary lanes were added, access to local thoroughfares was improved and expanded, and two overpasses provided partial access control to the southern end of Briley Parkway. The second phase (from July 2009 to August 2011) constructed an overpass between I-40 and Briley Parkway, converting the interchange to full access control, modified the White Bridge Road interchange, and widened a short stretch of I-40 west of the interchange. A project from January 2004 to January 2007 widened the section connecting I-24/440 to SR 255 from six to eight through lanes, added auxiliary lanes between interchanges, and reconstructed the interchange with SR 155 (Briley Parkway) for controlled access. Work to widen of I-40 from four to eight lanes from east of SR 171 to east of SR 109 in Lebanon began in July 2012 and was completed in July 2014. The stretch from east of SR 109 to east of I-840 in Lebanon was widened from four to eight lanes between April 2019 and September 2021.


Knoxville projects

Beginning in early May 1980, the segment of I-40 in Knoxville between Papermill Road and Gay Street was modified in a project which modified the interchanges with 17th Street, Western Avenue, and Gay Street; widened the segment to a minimum of six through lanes; added frontage roads; and reconstructed the gridlock-prone cloverleaf interchange with I-75 known as "Malfunction Junction" into a stack interchange with overpasses. The non-contiguous segment between US 11W (Rutledge Pike) and US 11E/25W/70 (Asheville Highway) was also widened to six lanes. Work was completed on March 30, 1982, with a ceremony officiated by Governor Alexander. While these projects were underway, the concurrent part of I-75 on this segment was rerouted around the western leg of I-640 (completed in December 1980) and the short segment of I-75 north of this segment became I-275. These projects were part of a $250 million (equivalent to $ in ) multi-phase improvement project for area roads which was accelerated in preparation for the 1982 World's Fair. They were followed by widening I-40 to six lanes between Broadway and US 11W from July 1990 to October 1991. By the mid-1970s, the concurrent segment of I-40 with I-75 between Lenoir City and western Knoxville was congested. The FHWA authorized TDOT in 1978 to widen the section from the I-75 interchange near Lenoir City to the Pellissippi Parkway to six lanes and the segment from the Pellissippi Parkway to I-640 to eight lanes, and to reconstruct interchanges along this section. TDOT announced plans to proceed with the project in May 1981, initially choosing to widen the entire segment to six lanes due to the need for immediate congestion relief and additional right-of-way required by the larger project. The six-lane project began in July 1984 with the segment between Papermill Road and the Pellissippi Parkway, and was completed in December 1985. The remainder of the project, located between the Pellissippi Parkway and the I-75 split, was done from June 1985 to July 1986. On October 9, 1986, the FHWA approved an environmental impact statement (EIS) for the remainder of the I-40/I-75 improvement project. The first phase, between August 1990 and August 1994, widened the section from east of the Pellissippi Parkway to east of Cedar Bluff Road and reconstructed the Cedar Bluff Road interchange. In preparation for the second phase, Gallaher View Road was extended north to the Interstate between April 1994 and July 1996 with a new overpass and on-ramp. The second phase, from May 1996 to December 1999, widened the section from east of Cedar Bluff Road to east of Gallaher View Road and extended Bridgewater Road to the Interstate. The interchange with Walker Springs Road was replaced, providing access to all three roads via collector–distributor frontage roads. The third phase, from early 2000 to late 2002, widened the segment linking Papermill Road to I-640 from six to 10 lanes. The fourth phase, from September 2000 to July 2003, improved the interchange with SR 131 and widened the section to the Pellissippi Parkway. The final phase, from January 2003 to December 2006, widened the section connecting Gallaher View Road to Papermill Road and reconfigured the interchanges with the US 11/70 connector and Papermill Road. A collector–distributor facility serving the westbound ramps was built along the Papermill interchange, and ramps to Weisgarber Road and SR 332 were constructed. In 1989, TDOT began preliminary planning work to widen the four-lane section from east of I-275 to Broadway/Hall of Fame Drive, and reconstruct the accident-prone interchange with SR 158 (James White Parkway), which contained left-hand entrance and exit ramps. Preliminary engineering began in 1995, and the FHWA approved an EIS for the project on February 28, 2002. On June 14, 2004, the two-phase project was unveiled to the public with the name SmartFIX40. The first phase, from July 6, 2005, to September 21, 2007, rebuilt and realigned the interchanges with SR 158, Broadway/Hall of Fame Drive, and Cherry Street; and built collector–distributor ramps between these interchanges. For the second phase, I-40 between SR 158 and Broadway/Hall of Fame Drive was closed between May 1, 2008, and June 12, 2009. This allowed crews to widen this section to six lanes with additional auxiliary lanes and rebuild the SR 158 interchange on an accelerated timeline. Through traffic used I-640 or surface streets during the closure, and inbound and outbound ramps connecting I-40 and I-640 at both interchanges were temporarily widened to three lanes to accommodate the extra volume. Both phases of SmartFIX40 received an America's Transportation Award from the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, AASHTO in 2008 and 2010. At a cost of $203.7 million (equivalent to $ in ), SmartFIX40 was the largest project ever coordinated by TDOT at the time and the second of its kind in the US.


Other projects

Between July 1997 and November 1999, the section from US 25W/70 to I-81 in Jefferson County was widened to six lanes. A 2008 TDOT study of the I-40 and I-81 corridors identified a number of steep grades which were difficult for trucks to climb, causing congestion and safety hazards, and the department constructed truck climbing lanes throughout the corridor in response. In 2018, three westbound truck lanesa lane immediately west of the Tennessee River in Benton County, a lane in Humphreys and Hickman counties, and a lane east of Crossvillewere completed. Two additional projects, a lane in Dickson and Williamson counties and a lane in western Smith County (both eastbound), were completed the following year. In 2020, a truck lane was built on a eastbound segment in eastern Cumberland County. In Jackson, I-40 was widened to six lanes and interchanges were improved in three phases. The first phase, which began on October 2, 2017, widened I-40 between west of US 45 Byp. and east of US 45, a distance of about ; added auxiliary lanes between these interchanges and the interchange with US 412; converted the cloverleaf interchange with the US 45 Byp. into a partial cloverleaf interchange and the cloverleaf with US 70 into a single-point urban interchange (SPUI); and replaced bridges and improved intersections on both routes near the interchanges. The first phase finished in early July 2021. The second phase, which began on November 4, 2020, widened I-40 from east of US 45 to east of US 70/412, a distance of about , added auxiliary lanes, and replaced bridges. It was completed on November 7, 2022. The final phase, which began on July 10, 2022, and was completed ahead of schedule on December 13, 2023, widened the segment from west of US 412 to west of US 45 Byp.


Geological difficulties

East Tennessee's rugged terrain presented a number of challenges to I-40 construction crews and engineers. Rockfall, Rockslides, especially along the eastern Cumberland Plateau and in the Pigeon River gorge, have been a persistent problem during and since the road's construction.


Crab Orchard and Walden Ridge area

On December 17, 1986, a truck driver was killed when his truck struck a boulder which had fallen across the road just east of Crab Orchard. In response to the incident, between January 1987 and December 1988, workers flattened the cut slopes along this stretch of the Interstate and moved a section of the road from the problematic cliffside. While I-40 was under construction, 20 rockslides occurred along the Walden Ridge section (miles 341–346) of the eastern plateau in 1968. This prompted remedial measures throughout the 1970s, including rock buttresses, gabion, gabion walls, and horizontal drains. Minor rockslides shut down the westbound lanes of this section on June 20, 1989, and on May 6, 2013.


Pigeon River gorge

The Pigeon River gorge is prone to rockslides, especially near the Tennessee–North Carolina state line. This stretch of I-40 was repeatedly shut down by rockslides during the 1970s, sometimes for weeks at a time. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, workers dug over of horizontal drains, blasted out a large number of unstable rocks, and installed mesh catchment fences. However, rockslides in 1985 and 1997 again forced the closure of I-40 in the Pigeon River gorge for several weeks. Additional stabilization measures were implemented, including the blasting of loose rock, the installation of rock bolts, and improved drainage. Another rockslide in the gorge on October 26, 2009, blocked all lanes just across the border at North Carolina mile 3; the section was closed to traffic in both directions until April 25, 2010. On January 31, 2012, the westbound lanes of I-40 were closed for a few weeks because of a rockslide near the North Carolina border. Torrential flooding in the Pigeon River from the aftermath of Hurricane Helene washed away a small section of the eastbound shoulder and embankment near the state line on September 27, 2024, closing the roadway to all traffic.


Sinkholes

Sinkholes are a consistent issue along highways in East Tennessee. One particularly problematic stretch is a section of I-40 between miles 365 and 367 in Loudon County, which is underlain by cavernous rock strata. TDOT employed a number of stabilization measures in this area during the 1970s and 1980s, including backfilling existing sinkholes with limestone, collapsing potential sinkholes, and paving roadside ditches to prevent surface water from seeping into unstable soil.


Incidents and closures

On December 23, 1988, a tank truck, tanker truck hauling liquefied petroleum gas, liquified propane overturned on a one-lane ramp carrying I-40 traffic through the Midtown interchange with I-240 in Memphis, poking a small hole in the front of the tank. The leaking gas ignited in a boiling liquid expanding vapor explosion (BLEVE), producing a fireball that set nearby vehicles and structures on fire and instantly killed five motorists (including the truck driver). The tank was propelled from the crash site by the remaining combusting gas, striking a nearby overpass and crashing into a duplex apartment about away. One occupant was killed, and additional fires spread to other buildings. A total of seven additional cars were destroyed, and 10 cars, six houses, and a residential complex were damaged. Ten people were injured, and two people who were inside of homes impacted by the fires later died from their injuries. Another truck driver was killed when he crashed into a traffic jam caused by the accident. This event, one of Tennessee's deadliest and most destructive motor-vehicle accidents, spurred the eventual reconstruction of the interchange. Inspectors discovered a crack on a tie girder of the Hernando de Soto Bridge on May 11, 2021, resulting in the closure of the bridge. A subsequent investigation indicated that the crack had existed since at least May 2019, and reports later surfaced that the crack had probably existed since August 2016. TDOT awarded an emergency repair contract for the bridge on May 17, 2021, and the repair was made in two phases. In the first phase, completed on May 25, 2021, fabricated steel plates were attached to both sides of the fractured beam. The second phase consisted of the installation of additional steel plating and removal of part of the damaged beam. The bridge's eastbound lanes reopened on July 31, 2021, and the westbound lanes reopened two days later. A report released later that year concluded that the crack resulted from a welding flaw during the beam's fabrication.


Exit list


See also

*


Notes


References


External links

*
I-40 in Tennessee
at AARoads
Tennessee Music Highway
– official website
SmartFIX40
– short documentary produced by TDOT on YouTube {{3di, 40 Interstate 40, Tennessee Interstate Highways in Tennessee, 40 Transportation in Shelby County, Tennessee Transportation in Fayette County, Tennessee Transportation in Haywood County, Tennessee Transportation in Madison County, Tennessee Transportation in Henderson County, Tennessee Transportation in Carroll County, Tennessee Transportation in Decatur County, Tennessee Transportation in Benton County, Tennessee Transportation in Humphreys County, Tennessee Transportation in Hickman County, Tennessee Transportation in Dickson County, Tennessee Transportation in Williamson County, Tennessee Transportation in Cheatham County, Tennessee Transportation in Davidson County, Tennessee Transportation in Wilson County, Tennessee Transportation in Smith County, Tennessee Transportation in Putnam County, Tennessee Transportation in Cumberland County, Tennessee Transportation in Roane County, Tennessee Transportation in Loudon County, Tennessee Transportation in Knox County, Tennessee Transportation in Sevier County, Tennessee Transportation in Jefferson County, Tennessee Transportation in Cocke County, Tennessee