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[froggie]

If I remember correctly, I-24 between Nashville and Chattanooga has approximately 50,000 and I-65 between Nashville and Louisville has approximately 60,000 vehicles per day.  So roughly a third or so (no more than half anyway) utilize 840 and 109 to by-pass Nashville.

You're assuming that a third of that I-65 traffic is specifcially bypassing around to head towards Chattanooga.  I'm thinking that's a false assumption.  Amongst the reasons:  TN 109 at the river had a 2010 AADT of only 16,500...and surely a large part of that is local traffic or traffic only going between Gallatin and Lebanon.

[hbelkins]

My guess is that a lot of that I-65 traffic is headed to Memphis. I-65 to I-40 is still the preferred route for most in Kentucky vs. the parkways and US 51 (and I-155/I-55 for traffic bound for Arkansas.)

[mightyace]

The contractors have started pouring concrete at the Carter's Creek Pike (TN SSR 246) exit.

I don't have any pictures, yet.  But, 840 will probably be finished before I post them anyway... 

[codyg1985]

The contractors have started pouring concrete at the Carter's Creek Pike (TN SSR 246) exit.

I don't have any pictures, yet.  But, 840 will probably be finished before I post them anyway... 

Concrete pavement I'm assuming?

[mightyace]

Most definitely.

[mightyace]

I drove Carter's Creek Pike into work today and saw workers laying more concrete on the EB entrance ramp.

In the oops dept., I didn't have my digital camera with me and didn't have enough time to take a phone picture.

[Crazy Volvo Guy]

Most definitely.

It'd be nice if the mainline was done concrete, but this being TN, I suspect it's exit ramps only, as usual.

[mightyace]

AFAIK They haven't started paving the mainline in that area, yet.  However, the open sections of TN 840 only have concrete on the ramps per TN "standard."

[mightyace]

I haven't had a chance to explore yet, but they may be paving parts of the mainline.  Both last Friday and today there were a steady stream of dump trucks with an asphalt smell going up and down Carter's Creek Pike.

[golden eagle]

I'm in Nashville this weekend and I did see the 840 being signed for Knoxville. When will the portion from 65 westward be open?

[mightyace]

I'm in Nashville this weekend and I did see the 840 being signed for Knoxville.

Where did you see "Knoxville" signed?  IIRC, TN 840 at I-65 and I-24 have been signed for Knoxville for a long time.  If it is at the western end near Dickson, that is news.

When will the portion from 65 westward be open?

Last I knew, the target was sometime this fall.

[golden eagle]

It was signed at I-65. On the western edge, it's signed as "local traffic".

[mightyace]

I haven't had a chance to explore yet, but they may be paving parts of the mainline.  Both last Friday and today there were a steady stream of dump trucks with an asphalt smell going up and down Carter's Creek Pike.

Still plenty of trucks going up and down Carter's Creek Pike but I went by the US 31 interchange on Tuesday and there still isn't any pavement to the west.

[hbelkins]

When I-840 is done, will Nashville have two bypasses, or three? 

[mightyace]

In my opinion, it will have one and that only for E-W or E-W to/from N-S.

The downtown I-24/40/65 loop is by no means any kind of bypass and but it is the only full freeway loop in Middle TN.

I-440 is billed as a bypass of I-40 downtown, but as it is only 4 lanes (2-2) and is frequently more congested than I-40 itself.  Plus, its east and west ends are well within rush hour congestion.

Briley Parkway (TN 155) is a half-loop on the north side.  (or 2/3 if you count the partially at grade section between I-40 and I-24 on the southeast side of town.)  In recent years, it has been upgraded between I-40 on the east side and I-65 to make it 6 or 8 lanes instead of 4 and got rid of many substandard freeway features.  You CAN use it as an I-40 bypass, but as it is so much longer, it is only faster during the worst of rush hour.  If you are willing to use the at grade section, you can do I-24.  I-65 - no dice.

Briley and I-440 kinda sorta make a full loop but as you need to use I-40 on both sides to go between I-440 and Briley, you still run into rush hour congestion.

So, that leaves the soon to be completed TN 840 south loop.  It may work as an I-40 bypass if I-40 is congested enough that the extra distance on 840 won't hurt you.  But, it will likely remain much as it is now, a connector between I-40 and interstates 24 and 65 on the south side of town.  So, I guess it is a bypass if you're making those movements.

Now, I'm arguing from a practical perspective.  From a technical standpoint, I'd say the answer is 3 as I'd count I-440 and Briely separately due to their lack of connections except via I-40 or surface streets.

[hbelkins]

I was just being facetious and channeling "sr641."

Honestly, I can't see ever having a need for I-840 unless I was traveling to or from Memphis and had opted to use TN 111 or TN 53/TN 56 (ARC Corridor "mumble") to get to I-40 instead of taking I-65. And then it would depend on if there were delays on I-40 in Nashville. The extra mileage would have to be offset by a time savings before I'd opt to bypass Nashville to the south instead of going straight through town.

Using I-40 to I-65, I would seriously consider Briley but again, it would depend on if traffic was congested closer to downtown.

[mightyace]

I see.  (Well it's not the first time I've been gotten.  )

Anyway, for me personally, it's already a big help.  At the present time, I have to get to I-65 via Saturn Pkwy and up to 840 or up US 31 to 840's current end.  But, it makes travel to/from Murfreesboro/Chattanooga/Atlanta much easier.  Now, 840 to I-40 east versus 65 north  to 40 east is a toss-up if traffic isn't an issue.  But, I usually take 840 as it is the road less traveled.

Once the Carter's Creek Pike exit opens, travel to the east and southeast will be even easier as the exit is 4-5 miles from my house with just 2 stop signs and no traffic lights.

Now to the west, the current "stub" only kinda-sorta helps as it takes much overland travel to get to it as those who went to the Tennessee meet in October 2010 can attest while following the construction route.  This will make Dickson a 40 minute drive instead of over an hour and will also help immensely going west.  As my Dad is now living in northeast Texas, I suspect I'll be making some trips in that direction.

[golden eagle]

Are there any plans to make Briley Parkway a freeway on its entire route?

I did end on 440 and that was, by far, the worst traffic I experienced in Nashville. Who came up with the bright idea of not making it a six-laned highway all the way through?

[RoadWarrior56]

I-440 was originally intended to be either 6 or 8 lanes for its entire length, I forgot which.  The freeway almost got cancelled in the 1970's due to pressure and lawsuits by anti-freeway types, and that it goes though some rather affluent neighborhoods.  From what I have read, the width of 440 had to be scaled back to a four-lane facilty in order to keep it from being canceled.  I presume the parkway "look and feel" of that facility is due to that agreement as well.  440 was not actually constructed until the 1980's, over a decade after the rest of the Nashville area interstates were initially completed.

I agree the section between I-65 and I-24 is a bottleneck during certain hours of the day, but better the roadway be four-lanes than not exist at all.

[golden eagle]

I agree the section between I-65 and I-24 is a bottleneck during certain hours of the day, but better the roadway be four-lanes than not exist at all.

Dude, you must've been following me! That's where I was caught up in traffic. I had meant to get off 65 much earlier, but I was running my mouth on the phone (I had a headset on) and missed the exit.

[RoadWarrior56]

I was not me following you.  I know to stay off that section of 440 on a weekday.

[mightyace]

Are there any plans to make Briley Parkway a freeway on its entire route

Not that I've heard of.  But, it wouldn't take much.  On the west side, Briley Parkway ends at I-40.  It is White Bridge Road south of I-40.  Briley Parkway's other end is where it meets up with Thompson Lane just west of I-24's exit 54.  Only the sections from I-24 to Thompson Lane and from just south of Vultee Blvd. to I-40 are not freeway.  I-24 exit 54 was completely free flow to/from Briley until the most recent rebuild.  There are now traffic lights there.

Now, as the streets that connect both ends of Briley (Thompson Lane, Woodmont Blvd., White Bridge Rd.) run only a little south of I-440, it is doubtful there will be a freeway there.  And, given past opposition, even linking Briley with 440 is doubtful.

[Road Hog]

I can report that work is progressing on completing 840 all the way through, but it isn't finished yet.

To connect the two ends, I got off at the end of the western portion at Leiper's Fork and took 46 to 96, and then stayed on 96 through Franklin. It's a very slow but also very scenic drive in places. But not a drive to take when you want to get from point A to point B in as little time as possible.

[mightyace]

I drove down US 31 on my way home from work today and noticed that the future mainline west of US 31 has finally been paved.  (It has been graded for many years there.)

I also say many asphalt trucks on future 840 near the TN-246 (Carter's Creek Pike) exit.  So, that section is getting closer to opening.

Now, I don't know whether or not TDOT will open the US 31-TN 246 section if the TN 246-TN 46 section is still incomplete.

[codyg1985]

^ I wonder if they will just wait until the entire thing is finished before opening it?