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[ARMOURERERIC]

Since the 22/269 interchange is a cloverleaf, do they still plan to run 22 straight ahead along 78 into Memphis or will they be taking 22 through the cloverleaf then along 269 west, and if so, will the 22W/269W loop ramp be 2 lanes?

[NYYPhil777]

Since the 22/269 interchange is a cloverleaf, do they still plan to run 22 straight ahead along 78 into Memphis or will they be taking 22 through the cloverleaf then along 269 west, and if so, will the 22W/269W loop ramp be 2 lanes?

Odds are I-22 will run into Memphis and its west terminus will be at I-240. I say the odds of these two situations are 60-40. (60 for my hypothesis, 40 for yours.)

[NE2]

If I were god Henry I'd take I-22 north on I-269 and west on SR 385 to I-240. And then extend it to Yellowstone.

[codyg1985]

Since the 22/269 interchange is a cloverleaf, do they still plan to run 22 straight ahead along 78 into Memphis or will they be taking 22 through the cloverleaf then along 269 west, and if so, will the 22W/269W loop ramp be 2 lanes?

Odds are I-22 will run into Memphis and its west terminus will be at I-240. I say the odds of these two situations are 60-40. (60 for my hypothesis, 40 for yours.)

I disagree, at least for the short term. I think for a while I-22 will either end at the MS/TN state line, at I-55, or at I-269. There are plans to upgrade some of the intersections to interchanges along Lamar Avenue, but I don't know if the plan is to fully limit access along the corridor or only upgrade major intersections while allowing direct access to Lamar.

I hope you are right, though.

[Grzrd]

first letting

Construction of I-269/SR304 from South of SR 302 to the Tennessee State Line

MDOT awarded a contract for the second MS I-269 project (referenced in above quote) subject to FHWA concurrence on June 12 (page 2/3 of pdf):

DESOTO COUNTY - Grade & Bridge, 4-lanes on SR 304/I-269 from SR 305 to Coldwater River Bridge

MDOT awarded ..., MDOT's third I-269 project (page 1/2 of pdf):

MARSHALL COUNTY - Construction of SR 304/I-269 from Station 835+00 to Mason Road

On October 9, Mississippi DOT awarded its fourth I-269 contract, which includes the Future I-269/ Future I-22 interchange (page 2/4 of pdf):

AWARDED SUBJECT TO CONCURRENCE BY THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION
STP-0029-02(016) / 102556313 & STP-0029-03(008) / 102556314
MARSHALL & DESOTO - Construction of SR 304/I-269 from Station 625+00 to Station 835+00
HILL BROTHERS CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, INC.
20831 HIGHWAY 15
FALKNER, MS 38629
$38,952,920.35

The winning bid came in almost 19% below MDOT's estimate (page 1/4 of pdf):

STATE ESTIMATE
$48,048,304.94
UNDER STATE ESTIMATE
18.93%

Combined with the below two TDOT projects, there are now six current I-269 projects with awarded contracts and/or under construction:

TDOT recently awarded the paving project for the final 8.294 miles of the TN 385 section of I-269 (page 12/13 of pdf):

THE PAVING ON I‐269(SR 385) FROM SR 57(POPLAR AVE) TO SR 193 (MACON RD)

TDOT has awarded the I-269 project from TN 385 to the Mississippi state line (page 5/14 of pdf):

NEW CONSTRUCTION ON I-269 FROM MISS. STATE LINE TO SR-385

[Grzrd]

With Tennessee scheduled to complete their part of I-269 by 2015, and this TV video report reporting that the entire Mississippi section should be "drivable from end to end, from 55 to the Marshall county line by 2018", it looks like essentially all of I-269 (I-55 in MS to US 51 in TN) is projected to be open to traffic by 2018

This Memphis Daily News article about Norfolk Southern's new intermodal facility in metro Memphis reports that "by 2016, the Interstate 69/269 beltway should be completed":

Infrastructure improvements will offer additional advantages.
“The road connections are really improving, which is so crucial to intermodal,” Cothran said. “We can take care of our tracks, but once you get off our property, you need to be able to get your cargo exactly where it needs to be able to go within the larger region.”
To date, infrastructure enhancements have included grade improvements on Tenn. 57 and U.S. 72 and an extension of Tenn. 385 south from 57. By 2016, the Interstate 69/269 beltway should be completed, as should the Piperton Hills connector roads linking U.S. 72 with state highways 57, 196 and 302.

Completion of I-269 by 2016 seems optimistic, but the report does reflect the commitment to complete it sooner rather than later.

[Grzrd]

^ Included as part of the presentation materials for the Desoto County, Mississippi I-269 Corridor Study is a map showing MDOT's I-269 construction schedule:


The section from the Tennessee state line to MS 302 is scheduled to be open to traffic in October 2015.
I-55 to I-22 is scheduled to be open to traffic in January 2018.
All of Mississippi I-269 is scheduled to be open to traffic by October 2018.

However, the section including the I-55 interchange does not appear on MDOT's November 2012 letting.

edit

MDOT also has an "I-55/69" shield on I-55 south of the I-55/I-69/I-269 interchange.

[txstateends]

Now the long wait begins for the next I-69 Corridor project in Tennessee ...

Seems strange that TN breaks it's neck to get going on building I-269 but can't be bothered with any of I-69 between Memphis and the KY border.  I know there's that funding thing, but....oh well

[codyg1985]

Now the long wait begins for the next I-69 Corridor project in Tennessee ...

Seems strange that TN breaks it's neck to get going on building I-269 but can't be bothered with any of I-69 between Memphis and the KY border.  I know there's that funding thing, but....oh well

A lot of it was planned to be built as TN 385 long before I-269 came to fruition. I would even go out on a limb and say that most of the funding to complete TN 385 was already in place as well.

[lordsutch]

Now the long wait begins for the next I-69 Corridor project in Tennessee ...

Seems strange that TN breaks it's neck to get going on building I-269 but can't be bothered with any of I-69 between Memphis and the KY border.  I know there's that funding thing, but....oh well

A lot of it was planned to be built as TN 385 long before I-269 came to fruition. I would even go out on a limb and say that most of the funding to complete TN 385 was already in place as well.

As Cody says, TN 385's components has been on the books for decades... at least since the early 70s in various forms, along with all sorts of projects that never came to fruition (like the Loosahatchie Parkway) or only came about in modified form (Walnut Grove and Kirby through Shelby Farms); the Bill Morris Parkway, for example was originally planned to replace Winchester from Germantown Road to Poplar Avenue at Houston Levee, with Winchester being rebuilt as Texas-style frontage roads.  I'm not sure how the current alignment came about exactly, but that's when Nonconnah (Bill Morris), Millington-Arlington (Paul Barrett), and Collierville-Arlington (which now also has an honorary name, which I forget) became parts of 385.

By comparison a Memphis-Millington expressway was never really seriously planned.  Development never really went in that direction, even though infrastructure was put in place for it (routes like North Watkins/TN 388, Singleton Parkway/TN 204, New Brownsville Road, and New Allen Road), and the west TN politicos who had power to divert resources to one (like longtime Lt. Gov Wilder and the House speaker whose name I forget, who both represented NW TN) were more interested in better routes from their region to Nashville than getting from Union City and Dyersburg to Memphis, hence the ridiculously overbuilt TN 22 freeway, US 412 from Jackson to Dyersburg, etc.  The parts of US 51 freeway north of Dyersburg also fit in this mold.

And now those politicians are gone, and the ones that replaced them aren't particularly interested in diverting resources to an area they think got disproportionate attention from the 60s through 80s, hence the lack of I-69 progress.  I think it'll happen eventually as Covington becomes more of a Memphis suburb, or if Millington ever attracts some real industry, but it'll be a while before the political pressure is there again.

[Grzrd]

This Memphis Daily News article provides updates on Tennessee's current I-269 projects (and has a photo of some dirt work between Tenn. 385 and US 72):

Preliminary dirt work is under way to connect Tenn. 385 near the Collierville/Fayette County border to the Mississippi state line, and an eight-mile portion spanning from Poplar Avenue north to Macon Road will be complete by the end of next year. ....
Interstate 69 will eventually run from Mexico to Canada, and about 40 percent of all of the manufacturing in the U.S. takes place in its corridor. I-269 will loop east around metropolitan Memphis from Millington to I-55 in Mississippi, with roughly 35 miles in Tennessee and 25 miles in Mississippi ....
Work began in December 2009 on the new eight-mile stretch of Tenn. 385 running from Poplar to Macon and should be completed by November ....
Earlier this year, the Tennessee Department of Transportation put out a $41 million contract to Dement Construction for work on a new two-mile section of I-269 running from the Mississippi state line to Tenn. 385. Site work is under way just east of U.S. 72 in Collierville between Shelby Drive and Keough Road, hooking up with nearby 385 just before it ends in Piperton.
“Work should really begin to crank up next spring, and the estimated completion date is June of 2015,” Lawrence said ....

The section from the Tennessee state line to MS 302 is scheduled to be open to traffic in October 2015.

It looks like TDOT and MDOT are coordinating their respective state line projects and it may be possible to cross the state line on I-269 in a little under three years.

[Grzrd]

Mississippi DOT has posted District Two Updates on its website, which includes three I-269 projects:

Interstate 269 in Desoto County 
... This project is approximately 1.9 mile in length, from just east of State Route 305 to 1700 feet east of the Coldwater River ... The paving work will be let under a separate contract in the future. The contractor is currently constructing the roadway embankment from the BOP to the west end of the Coldwater River Bridge. Also under construction are the Bridges substructures for Bridges “A” underpass of local road and Bridges “B” over the Coldwater River ... The project is approximately 16% complete with approximately 13% of the contract time elapsed and an expected completion date of September 2014.

Interstate 269 in Marshall County 
... This project is approximately 3.1 miles long and goes from just south of State Route 302 to the Tennessee State Line ... The paving work will be let under a separate contract in the future.  The contractor currently has three (3) bridge crews on site working on the Bridges spanning State Route 302, Wingo Road, and the Nonconnah Creek bridges.  Earthwork operations are complete, and those forces are attempting to maintain the installed BMP’s.  The project is approximately 71% complete with an expected completion date of October 2013 ... 

Interstate 269 in Marshall County 
... This project is approximately 0.8 miles long and goes from just East of Mason Road to Station 835+00 near the intersection of U.S. Highway 78 and Interstate 269 ... The paving work will be let under a separate contract in the future.  The contractor is currently driving piles, installing pipes, installing Erosion Control BMP’s, and executing earthwork operations.  The project is approximately 8% complete with an expected completion date of October 2014 ...

[Grzrd]

On October 9, Mississippi DOT awarded its fourth I-269 contract, which includes the Future I-269/ Future I-22 interchange (page 2/4 of pdf)

^ Included as part of the presentation materials for the Desoto County, Mississippi I-269 Corridor Study is a map showing MDOT's I-269 construction schedule ...
All of Mississippi I-269 is scheduled to be open to traffic by October 2018.
However, the section including the I-55 interchange does not appear on MDOT's November 2012 letting.

Mississippi DOT's ("MDOT's") fifth I-269 project, which includes the I-55 interchange, is advertised in the January 22 letting:

Grade, Drain, & Bridge on SR 304/I-269 from I-55 to STA. 240+00, known as Federal Aid Project No. STP-0029-02(013) / 102556310 in DeSoto County.
Call 04 PDF
Project Completion: 05/29/2015

[Grzrd]

Mississippi DOT's ("MDOT's") fifth I-269 project, which includes the I-55 interchange, is advertised in the January 22 letting

The bid opening for the above project has been postponed until February 26:

4 STP-0029-02(013) / 102556310 Desoto
Grade, Drain, & Bridge on SR 304/I-269 from I-55 to STA. 240+00
BID OPENING POSTPONED UNTIL FEBRUARY 26, 2013

There may also be a last-second effort to save a 175 year old tree:

The tree, roughly just a few yards from the planned path of Interstate 69/269, will likely be felled to make way for the nation's newest super highway ....
Boyce said he wants to make Northern District Transportation Commissioner Mike Tagert aware of the tree's imminent demise.
"This is the first time I've heard of this," Tagert said from Jackson on Monday. "It has not come across my desk."
Tagert promised to look into the situation and get back to a reporter on Tuesday. He said that MDOT consults with the Mississippi Department of Archives and History on the existence of local landmarks in conjunction with road and highway projects, and tries to preserve such landmarks when possible.
"We go through extensive review and we spend a great deal of time and money on trying to avoid situations like this," Tagert said ....
Boyce said some local crews performing contract timber work for MDOT attempted to spare the tree.
"The man cutting all this timber around here said he wouldn't cut it," Boyce said.
Dr. Joy Fox Anderson, noted horticulturalist and DeSoto County Coordinator for the Mississippi State Agricultural Extension Office, .... said the tree is in danger even if it's not cut down.
"If they don't do anything to protect the root system from getting compacted, it will be damaged. Any kind of clearing around it will damage it."

edit

The tree fought MDOT and lost. This TV video report has both pre-felling and post-felling footage of the tree.

[Grzrd]

This TV video report, North Mississippi's First Highway Message Signs contains some footage of US 78/Future I-22 near Byhalia, Marshall County, MS.

I can't remember if I-55 in DeSoto County has any message signs. If not, that's interesting that I-22 is getting them first. It makes sense where they are putting the sign, anyway.

(above two quotes from Interstate 22 thread)

Byhalia makes sense for the location of the sign because in the relatively near future the sign will also provide information about the conditions on I-269. This TV video report, in addition to a report on how I-269 may impact Byhalia, contains some footage of I-269 construction, presumably near the Future I-269/Future I-22 interchange.

[codyg1985]

^ Look like that construction shown was along MS 178, which is near the future I-22/I-269 interchange.

[Grzrd]

Although it's not official until Tennessee Governor Haslam signs the bill, it looks like this weekend's Memphis meet attendees will be looking at construction of a segment of TN 385/I-269 that will also be known as the Governor Winfield Dunn Parkway:

Tennessee 385 -- the eastern semi-circle roadway linking the Memphis suburbs -- is about to have a third name on it: the Governor Winfield Dunn Parkway.
The state Senate gave final legislative approval today to a bill that designates the stretch of Tennessee 385 between U.S. 70 near Arlington and U.S. 72 at Collierville as the Governor Winfield Dunn Parkway in honor of the former Memphis dentist who in 1970 was elected Tennessee’s first Republican governor in 50 years ... Part of the section of Tennessee 385 named after Dunn is still under construction, but the stretch between I-40 and Macon Road is already open to traffic.

Make sure they all have toothbrushes.

This TV video report focuses on the anticipated impact of completion of the Winfield Dunn Parkway (and thus all of TN 385) in November:

"So you'll be able to come from Millington all the way around 385 and back to 240," said TDOT's Jason Baker.
Highway 385 has been completed in three phases. The first phase started in the early 1980s and wrapped up in 1998. Known as the Paul W. Barret Parkway, it linked U.S. Highway 51 to U.S. 70-79 east of Millington. Next came the Bill Morris Parkway. Construction started in 1990 and wrapped up in 2007, connecting I-240 to State Road 57 east of Collierville.
The third phase, which will be completed in 10 months, is the Winfield Dunn Parkway which connects U.S. 70 to the Bill Morris Parkway ....
But all of this growth leading away from Memphis doesn't sit well with everyone.
"Our primary concerns with project 269, is it's an extraordinary amount of money that's not going to serve the entire community," said Sarah Norstok of Livable Memphis.
Norstok believes the I-269 project will be nothing but a drain on the city of Memphis from its livability and its economy.
"The main reason why is because our region as a population is not growing," she said. "So when we build things like this and we talk about development, we're not growing the pie. We are just moving the pieces around within the same number of limited resources. So while it's great for some people, some areas stand to gain a lot from this development, it's just leaving behind another neighborhood that's already existed."

Although a cap on the available amount of pie suggests a correlation, the report does not directly address whether frequent brushing prevents potholes.

[codyg1985]

I was in Memphis today, so I decided to check out some of the I-269 construction. It looks like very little has happened along US 78/I-22 at its interchange with I-269, but construction signs are up. It should be noted that dynamic message signs have been placed on both EB US 78 west of the I-269 interchange and on WB US 78 east of both the I-269 interchange and the Byhalia Rd/MS 309 interchange. Also, traffic cameras have been installed along US 78 at the Red Banks Road exit (Exit 10) and the Byhalia Rd exit (Exit 14). There are also cameras at one of the overpasses between those two exits, but I can't remember which one.  MDOT is really putting the ITS infrastructure in place for the I-22/I-269 interchange, at least.

Construction is more underway along MS 178 which is just north of US 78. Bridge piers are under construction to the south. It appears that MS 178 will either be temporarily or permanently relocated south of its original alignment to pass underneath the bridges under construction. I believe the contract for this portion of the construction is separate from the contract that deals with the I-22/US 78 interchange itself.

The interchange with MS 302 looks to be coming along very nicely. Bridge beams are in place for the mainline I-269 bridges over MS 302. The deck is about to be poured for the northbound I-269 lanes.  Frontage roads are under construction along MS 302 east of the I-269 interchange which will serve as a relocated Mt Carmel Rd to place its intersection with MS 302 well east of the I-269 interchange.

North of MS 302, an overpass is under construction for Wingo Road to pass over I-269. The bridge beams are in place. I would guesstimate that this project for grading, drainage, and bridges between MS 302 and the TN State Line is about 65-70% complete. Most of the remaining work appears to be for the bridges and putting down asphalt for the relocated roads.

Construction signs are in place along US 72 and TN 385/Bill Morris Pkwy at their respective interchanges with I-269, but not much has happened along here except for the topsoil being removed from the site.

[SSOWorld]

Note to self - don't drive by... yet.

[Grzrd]

Mississippi DOT's ("MDOT's") fifth I-269 project, which includes the I-55 interchange, is advertised in the January 22 letting

The bid opening for the above project has been postponed until February 26

On March 12, MDOT awarded its fifth I-269 project, which will connect to the current I-55/I-69 interchange:

STP-0029-02(013) / 102556310
DESOTO COUNTY - Grade, Drain, & Bridge on SR 304/I-269 from I-55 to STA. 240+00
EUTAW CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, INC.
PO BOX 36
ABERDEEN, MS 39730
$29,609,997.89

In looking at MDOT's I-269 construction schedule map posted upthread, it looks like only two more sections need to have their initial lettings:
STA 240+00 to SR 305, and East of Mason Road to SR 302.*

On October 9, Mississippi DOT awarded its fourth I-269 contract, which includes the Future I-269/ Future I-22 interchange (page 2/4 of pdf):

AWARDED SUBJECT TO CONCURRENCE BY THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION
STP-0029-02(016) / 102556313 & STP-0029-03(008) / 102556314
MARSHALL & DESOTO - Construction of SR 304/I-269 from Station 625+00 to Station 835+00

* I believe MDOT combined the STA 625+00 to Marshall CL and DeSoto CL to STA 835+00 projects into one project.


This article demonstrates the rural quality of the landscape surrounding I-269 in DeSoto County because the five roads that will have interchanges with I-269 in that county are currently classified as rural, and thus currently ineligible for MPO federal funding for improvements related to the interchanges:

A team of city and county officials from DeSoto County hopes a smooth-running and fact-loaded briefing will get funds flowing for roads and clear up ozone issues as they roll into Washington for the annual “Blue Ribbon” presentation of project priorities ....
Here’s the Trade Corridor issue that Supervisor Caldwell will address: Each of the five major roads planned as interchanges with I-269 — Getwell Road, Laughter Road, Craft Road, Miss. 305 and Red Banks Road — are expected to bear increased traffic volume, indicating the need for major improvements.
However, the roads are still designated as rural rather than urban roads, and thus are ineligible for federal funding through the Memphis Metropolitan Planning Organization; they are in the MPO study area but not the census-designated urbanized area. DeSoto officials want the roads designated as urban arterial or urban collector roads to receive MPO funding: “I feel we have all the information and we’ll make a good case,” said Caldwell.

[amroad17]

If I were god Henry I'd take I-22 north on I-269 and west on SR 385 to I-240. And then extend it to Yellowstone.

This is probably what should happen as there isn't much room along Lamar from the state line to I-240.  Except for the extension to Yellowstone.   Either way, among the proposals of I-22 going into Memphis instead of ending at I-55 in MS, I-22 will end at I-240.

[Grzrd]

In looking at MDOT's I-269 construction schedule map posted upthread, it looks like only two more sections need to have their initial lettings:
STA 240+00 to SR 305, and East of Mason Road to SR 302

One on deck; one to go. The STA 240.00 to SR 305 project is advertised in the April 23 lettings:

SR 304 Relocation/I-269 from STA. 240+00 (east of Malone Road) to Station 525+00 (east of SR 305), known as Federal Aid Project No. STP-0029-02(015) / 102556311 in Desoto County.

This is the final Desoto County project to have an advertisement for its initial letting.

[Grzrd]

Included as part of the presentation materials for the Desoto County, Mississippi I-269 Corridor Study is a map showing MDOT's I-269 construction schedule ....
The section from the Tennessee state line to MS 302 is scheduled to be open to traffic in October 2015.
I-55 to I-22 is scheduled to be open to traffic in January 2018.
All of Mississippi I-269 is scheduled to be open to traffic by October 2018.

I-269 completion by 2017 is the headline, but the article reports that completion will occur "by" the 2017-18 fiscal year, which I assume could mean either 2017 or 2018:

During an address to the DeSoto County Economic Development Council Infrastructure Committee, Northern District Transportation Commissioner Mike Tagert called the I-269 project "the crown jewel" among transportation projects in the state of Mississippi.
For the first time officially, Tagert, who is transportation commissioner over a 33-county region, went on record to state the long anticipated project should be completed by the 2017-18 fiscal year.

The article also has different relative completion dates for the various sections than the dates on the above-quoted MDOT map:

Tagert disclosed that Sections of I-269 from Hwy. 302 to the Tennessee line and U.S. Hwy. 78 to the Tennessee line will likely open before other sections.

At any rate it still looks like full speed ahead for I-269!

[Grzrd]

One on deck; one to go. The STA 240.00 to SR 305 project is advertised in the April 23 lettings

One on deck awarded on May 14; one last MS I-269 segment to go! (page 3/4 of pdf):

STP-0029-02(015) / 102556311
DESOTO COUNTY - SR 304 Relocation/I-269 from STA. 240+00 (east of Malone Road) to Station 525+00 (east of SR 305)
TANNER CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, INC.
PO BOX 460
ELLISVILLE, MS 39437
$56,823,653.13

The winning bid came in 7.82% under state estimate (page 1/4 of pdf).

[codyg1985]

One on deck; one to go. The STA 240.00 to SR 305 project is advertised in the April 23 lettings

One on deck awarded on May 14; one last MS I-269 segment to go! (page 3/4 of pdf):

STP-0029-02(015) / 102556311
DESOTO COUNTY - SR 304 Relocation/I-269 from STA. 240+00 (east of Malone Road) to Station 525+00 (east of SR 305)
TANNER CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, INC.
PO BOX 460
ELLISVILLE, MS 39437
$56,823,653.13

The winning bid came in 7.82% under state estimate (page 1/4 of pdf).

As exciting as this is, remember that there are still base, pave, signing, and traffic stripe contracts to be let for these segments once the grade and drain portions are completed.