TDOT announces construction plans for interstate widening, bridge repair

JACKSON, Tenn. — Starting tonight, drivers on Interstate 40 will start to see changes.

“Beginning tonight at 7 p.m., there is going to be nightly lane closures on Exit 82 and Exit 87. That next phase of construction to widen the interstate and replace about five bridges in that section begins tonight,” said Tennessee Department of Transportation Community Relations Officer Nichole Lawrence.

Lawrence says this project, which focuses on five miles of Interstate 40, will start at the North Highland exit and continue east to the Highway 70 exit.

The project is expected to take about two years to finish, with a target completion date of Nov. 8, 2022.

“That’s an aggressive completion date,” Lawrence said. “We are going to move forward, and we are going to work very hard to make sure that happens.”

The project is expected to cost about $87.9 million, making it an expensive project, including widening the interstate from four lanes to six lanes and replacing some of the bridges.

“There are five bridges that will be replaced,” Lawrence said. “Two of those are railroad bridges, and then you have the Watson Bridge, Henderson Bridge and then the Campbell Street Bridge as well.”

For drivers on Interstate 40, be prepared for more changes and construction.

“They can see some nightly lane closures. There are going to be a few phases to get some new lanes built. They are going to mill and pave the shoulders in each direction so that we can kind of push traffic outwards so that work can begin on the inside part of the median area,” Lawrence said.

Lane closures will continue from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. seven days a week.

On Wednesday and Thursday, Interstate 40 eastbound will have one lane closed. One eastbound and one westbound lane will close on Friday from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m.