TDOT to begin lane, interstate ramp closures

JACKSON, Tenn. — A widening project is leading to several lanes being closed along Interstate 40, and it begins this week.

Starting this week, Tennessee Department of Transportation crews are shifting traffic on I-40 at Exit 79 from the outside lanes to the inside lanes.

“Last night, the westbound outside lanes were shifted to the inside lanes. The I-40 westbound ramp from US 412 was also closed. That ramp closure will be for an extended period of time until they get through this phase of topic,” said Nichole Lawrence, the Community Relations Office for TDOT.

If weather permits, on Monday, crews will be on the eastbound side of I-40 shifting those outside lanes over to the inside.

On Tuesday, May 16, the I-40 eastbound “off” ramp at Exit 79 will close as well.

“If you go all the way to 87, it is widened to three lanes in each direction that way, and we’ve worked our way west and it has widened up to Exit 80. So now we’re making that last mile and a half tie in,” Lawrence said.

The I-40 eastbound will have lane closures that begin at 7 p.m. to 6 a.m., Monday and Tuesday.

Along with shifting lanes, crews will work on setting up a concrete barrier rail from east of Exit 76 to east of Exit 80.

“Any time you’re driving through a construction zone, that speed limit is posted at a lower because there are so many moving targets in a construction area, especially when it’s active. And we just need folks to abide by that lower speed limit,” Lawrence said.

According to TDOT, there will be lane closures on I-40 east and westbound from Exit 76 to Exit 80 in order to start the demolition of the I-40 east and westbound bridges over Hollywood Drive/US 412.

“So this weekend there are going to be some closures and some crossovers after they did underneath the interstate there on 412, so crews can get under there and tear down the rest of that old bridge and begin building the new part of the bridge,” Lawrence said.

TDOT says the completion goal for that part of the widening of I-40 is by late May of 2024.

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