AARoads contributor Chris Kalina traveled through the Memphis area on Saturday March 8th and took a look at progress for construction of Interstate 269, the Memphis outer beltway. Work is underway along the entire corridor from Interstates 55 & 69 east to Tennessee 385 (Bill Morris Parkway) at Collierville.
Tennessee is scheduled to complete their portion of I-269 by 2015, with work continuing through northern Mississippi until 2018.1 A great overview of current construction and the planned alignment for the freeway is available at the DeSoto County, Mississippi GIS Viewer.
Bridge supports and decking takes shape at an future overpass for McIngvale Road above the eventual mainline of Interstates 22 & 269, east of Interstate 55.
Bridge supports and decking takes shape at an future overpass for McIngvale Road above the eventual mainline of Interstates 22 & 269, east of Interstate 55.
Grading for the future carriageways of Interstates 22 & 269 east of McIngvale Road. I-22 and 269 will share pavement from the current full-cloverleaf interchange with I-55 & 69 to the U.S. 78 freeway (Future I-22) leading southeast from the Olive Branch area.
The beginning of a bridge that will eventually take Getwell Road over future Interstate 22 & 269 takes shape.
Getwell Road shifts onto a temporary alignment while the new span is constructed. A diamond interchange will be constructed here as well.
Tree clearing east of Malone Road for the future Memphis beltway. Compare this driveway scene with one taken last May.
Further east, Laughter Road crosses the corridor of Interstates 22 & 269 at a future diamond interchange. Accomplished here thus far is mostly earth work.
Interstates 22 and 269 will cross Craft Road just north of Byhalia Road where the road presently turns due north to a school complex.
Grading and the initial bridge supports appear to the west for the future overpass for Craft Road while the eastward view shows more earth moving toward Lewisburg.
Craft Road will be realigned to eliminate the curve southeast to Byhalia Road. This change will accommodate the new diamond interchange with Interstates 22 and 269.
Red Banks Road heads north to a future diamond interchange with Interstates 22 and 269. A new overpass for the rural highway is already mostly completed.
Red Banks Road heads north to a future diamond interchange with Interstates 22 and 269. A new overpass for the rural highway is already mostly completed.
U.S. 78 immediately upgrades to a freeway south of the Tennessee state line. The freeway continues from there 12 miles to the future full-cloverleaf interchange with Interstate 269 north and Interstates 22 & 269 west.
Overpasses taking shape here will carry the I-269 mainline and collector/distributor roadways.
Current thinking is that Interstate 22 will leave an overlap with I-269 to overtake U.S. 78 leading east to Tupelo at this future systems exchange.
Mississippi 178, the pre-freeway alignment of U.S. 78, parallels U.S. 78 and Future I-22 just to the north. Four sets of bridges for Interstate 269 (mainline and c/d roadways) and the adjacent cloverleaf interchange take shape above both MS 178 and the parallel BNSF Railroad line.
Mississippi 178, the pre-freeway alignment of U.S. 78, parallels U.S. 78 and Future I-22 just to the north. Four sets of bridges for Interstate 269 (mainline and c/d roadways) and the adjacent cloverleaf interchange take shape above both MS 178 and the parallel BNSF Railroad line.
The first segment of Interstate 269 under construction in Mississippi was the 3.1-mile stretch from Mississippi 302 north to the Tennessee state line. This $19.5-million project kicked off June 23, 2011.2 A contract involving the grading, drainage and bridge construction for I-269 east from Mississippi 305 to the Coldwater River was let on May 22, 2012.3 This ties into the October 9, 2012 let contract for the freeway further east, including the interchange with U.S. 78.4 Work here is targeted for completion by October 2015.
The final contract for initial grading and drainage work for I-269 in Mississippi was awarded on July 9, 2013, involving the stretch east of Malone Road to east of MS 305.5 Remaining portions of Interstates 22 & 269 leading west from the Coldwater River to Interstates 55 & 69 are slated for paving operations in August 2015 and final completion by October 2018.
- “I-69 to Grow Desoto County?” WHBQ (Memphis, TN), July 25, 2012.
- “Groundbreaking for I-269 in Marshall County, hailed as revival for North Mississippi.” The Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN), June 24, 2011.
- “Re: Interstate 269” online posting by Grzrd. AARoads Forum, June 19, 2012.
- “Re: Interstate 269” online posting by Grzrd. AARoads Forum, October 9, 2012.
- “Re: Interstate 269” online posting by Grzrd. AARoads Forum, July 25, 2013.
I recently followed the Hwy 69 from off TN Hwy 24 out of Collierville TN to Ms 302 where it ended.
What is the miles stretch left to reach I-55 and Hwy 61 Tunica, and what sections will be opened next and when?
MDOT is still showing an October 2018 time table for completion of I-269. Total distance of Interstate 269 in Mississippi will be 26 miles.
A map of the corridor and more details can be found on the AASHTO application for I-269 from July 27, 2015:
http://route.transportation.org/Documents/2015%20AM%20September%2024%20Chicago,%20IL/MS%20-%20I%20269.pdf
Is 269 considered a legal road, meaning is it considerably a road yet or under construction? Also is the property of 269 privately owned or is the government contracted with it?
What is the date for opening of Interstate 269 from Ms 302 to Ms 305?
I-269 is supposed to be completed in 2018 sometime.