Road work to shut down 45 Bypass at I-40 this weekend

JACKSON, Tenn. — The 45 Bypass in north Jackson will shut down this weekend.

“Plan ahead,” TDOT Community Relations Officer Nichole Lawrence said. “Look for an alternate route before you get into town.”

Lawrence said the 45 Bypass southbound and northbound lanes will close at Carriage House and Vann Drive. Interstate 40 eastbound and westbound traffic will run up and over the ramps at exit 80.

The closures run from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

“There’s 15 beams we’re going to be placing this weekend, and when you’re bolting and screwing a lot of that, you need daylight hours,” Lawrence said.

Despite above average rainfall this spring, Lawrence said the project is going well time wise. “We’re doing great on time, probably right on track,” she said.

TDOT said they plan to finish reconstructing the intersection at the 45 Bypass and Carriage House Drive by May 31.

“We will then move our efforts toward widening the interstate, finishing the bridge over the interstate at the bypass,” Lawrence said.

Lawrence said they also plan to replace the the North Highland bridge over I-40.

“There will be future closures,” she said. “We don’t really have a time frame for those because they’ll have to demo the remaining of the old bridge.”

TDOT said they expect the entire $67.5 million project to be complete in June 2021.

Lawrence encourages drivers to be patient, take their time and merge early.