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[ATLRedSoxFan]

Wasn't there supposed to be an I-475 bypass of Knoxville on the books, or has that been axed?

[codyg1985]

Wasn't there supposed to be an I-475 bypass of Knoxville on the books, or has that been axed?

That has been axed.

[triplemultiplex]

I thought I remember the dead Knoxville bypass as a realignment of I-75.  It would have been a cut-off between the western 40/75 split and the existing I-75 north of K-ville.  The old route not currently duplexed with another interstate would be an extension of I-275.

Been so long though, I could be conflating someone's fictional musings with the actual proposal.

Either way, it would be highly unfeasible to do something like that today; too much sprawl in the way.

[froggie]

It got as far as a Draft EIS, which refers to 475 as the proposed route number.  Presumably, if built, it would have been added as an Interstate.

It's not just "sprawl", though, or the environmental impacts, that killed it.  It had a very expensive price tag, and Tennessee is still a pay-as-you-go state (they do not allow bonds or tolls), so cost was a large part of why it was dropped.

[Great Lakes Roads]

Well, TDOT is doing a project on Interstate 240 on the east side of Memphis that will use Accelerated Bridge Construction... Doubled as "MemFix4" where they are going to replace or repair 4 bridges that go underneath Park Avenue, Norfolk Southern RR, and Popular Avenue...

Can't wait!! 

YouTube Video:

[Brooks]

I am so ready for this! I’ve been seeing the letting info for this on TDOT’s website for some time now, but this is the first thing I’ve seen about it actually getting under way. I travel through the Poplar corridor every day so I will be glad to see this completed.

[Jdsizzleslice]

Ok, so I have a bit of a dumb question. On I-40 near Knoxville, it merges with I-75; however, the conjoined interstates are just called I-40. Is this because their mile markers do not start at the same mile? I am a bit curious, because I-20 and I-59 conjoin in Alabama, but while they are conjoined, the interstate is referred to as I-20-59. Why is the interstate in Knoxville just called I-40 instead of I-40-75?

Asking for a friend.

[adventurernumber1]

This is one reason why I have proposed (I think I am the first one to do so, IIRC) an Interstate 875 eastern bypass of Chattanooga, to facilitate travel for through I-75 travelers, and to ease traffic problems on some of the highways in the city (mainly I-75).

I want to say that there is a long range plan for such a bypass to the east. Now if there was a push for a southern bypass (which would probably involve a very expensive tunnel under Lookout Mountain).

That is very fascinating; I don't know how I did not know that. An eastern bypass of Chattanooga (I-875) is what would be the most plausible. I don't know that a northern bypass is necessary at all, and while a southern bypass would be quite useful if possible (with the large amounts of traffic that Interstate 24 carries), it is not plausible at all due to the huge geographical barrier of Lookout Mountain (which is a wide plateau, not just some thin ridge!). Hopefully an I-875 is being heavily considered, and I am obviously a huge proponent of it!! 

I thought I remember the dead Knoxville bypass as a realignment of I-75.  It would have been a cut-off between the western 40/75 split and the existing I-75 north of K-ville.  The old route not currently duplexed with another interstate would be an extension of I-275.

Been so long though, I could be conflating someone's fictional musings with the actual proposal.

Either way, it would be highly unfeasible to do something like that today; too much sprawl in the way.

If only it was more plausible, that sounds like an incredibly interesting and useful idea! 

Well, TDOT is doing a project on Interstate 240 on the east side of Memphis that will use Accelerated Bridge Construction... Doubled as "MemFix4" where they are going to replace or repair 4 bridges that go underneath Park Avenue, Norfolk Southern RR, and Popular Avenue...

Can't wait!! 

YouTube Video:

While I am not that awfully close to Memphis, and I do not think I will be able to visit or pass through the area anytime soon, I am still incredibly excited for this! 

That railroad bridge especially looks quite old and in need of repair. It is very good that they are doing this project, and it is an intriguing one for sure. 

[milbfan]

Ok, so I have a bit of a dumb question. On I-40 near Knoxville, it merges with I-75; however, the conjoined interstates are just called I-40. Is this because their mile markers do not start at the same mile? I am a bit curious, because I-20 and I-59 conjoin in Alabama, but while they are conjoined, the interstate is referred to as I-20-59. Why is the interstate in Knoxville just called I-40 instead of I-40-75?

Asking for a friend.

Knoxville folks are weird.  j/k

I guess it depends on who you ask.  I-40 does go straight through downtown Knoxville, whereas I-75 gets dumped onto 40, then onto 640 (it's almost an afterthought then, too).  Could be the mileage aspect in that the combined interstates continue with I-40's mileage.

I tended to think of I-20/59 as just I-20.  But my reasoning for that was I was traveling to Dallas on 20, past Meridian.

[OracleUsr]

Isn't I-275 the original I-75 alignment?

[adventurernumber1]

Isn't I-275 the original I-75 alignment?

I believe that that is in fact true. It seems to me that when the Interstate System first came about, it was just I-75 and I-40 in Knoxville, and they both went through downtown. Soon after Interstate 640 was built later on (as a Knoxville bypass), I-75 was rerouted onto a concurrency with I-640 - when that happened, I believe it is what used to be I-75 that was now designated as I-275. It is very interesting road history indeed. 

[hbelkins]

Isn't I-275 the original I-75 alignment?

Yes, and I'm old enough to remember.

I've also seen more than a few traffic jams on southbound I-75 because it narrows to a single lane at the ramp to I-640 west. Sometimes it's faster to stay on I-275 to hit I-40 east.

[Mapmikey]

Ok, so I have a bit of a dumb question. On I-40 near Knoxville, it merges with I-75; however, the conjoined interstates are just called I-40. Is this because their mile markers do not start at the same mile? I am a bit curious, because I-20 and I-59 conjoin in Alabama, but while they are conjoined, the interstate is referred to as I-20-59. Why is the interstate in Knoxville just called I-40 instead of I-40-75?

Asking for a friend.

Almost certainly due to the length of the overlay. 40-75 is short while 20-59 is quiet lengthy.  In the same way 77-81 and 64-81 are usually referred to as 81. I’m guessing 80-90 is probably referred to as 80-90.

[1]

I’m guessing 80-90 is probably referred to as 80-90.

No, 80-90 is referred to as the Indiana Toll Road and the Ohio Turnpike.

[Avalanchez71]

The I-40/I-65 overlap in Nashville is simply referred to as I-40.  I-65/I-24 overlap is referred to as I-65.  The I-24/I-40 overlap as is just know as I-40.

[wriddle082]

The I-40/I-65 overlap in Nashville is simply referred to as I-40.  I-65/I-24 overlap is referred to as I-65.  The I-24/I-40 overlap as is just know as I-40.

Since I-24 northwest of Nashville didn’t fully open up till the late 70’s, I-24 had a de facto beginning at I-40 east of downtown.  Therefore I-24 was the last interstate to be multiplexed with the others through the city, and everybody was used to referring to them as simply 40 or 65, so those stuck.  Plus none of the three multiplexes is any longer than about 3.5 miles.

[adventurernumber1]

The I-40/I-65 overlap in Nashville is simply referred to as I-40.  I-65/I-24 overlap is referred to as I-65.  The I-24/I-40 overlap as is just know as I-40.

Since I-24 northwest of Nashville didn’t fully open up till the late 70’s, I-24 had a de facto beginning at I-40 east of downtown.  Therefore I-24 was the last interstate to be multiplexed with the others through the city, and everybody was used to referring to them as simply 40 or 65, so those stuck.  Plus none of the three multiplexes is any longer than about 3.5 miles.

Also, Interstate 40 is probably the most significant and important highway that runs through Nashville, so that may be a reason that most of those concurrencies are just referred to as "I-40" (with two being known as I-40, one being known as I-65, and no multiplexes known as I-24).

[mrcmc888]

Ok, so I have a bit of a dumb question. On I-40 near Knoxville, it merges with I-75; however, the conjoined interstates are just called I-40. Is this because their mile markers do not start at the same mile? I am a bit curious, because I-20 and I-59 conjoin in Alabama, but while they are conjoined, the interstate is referred to as I-20-59. Why is the interstate in Knoxville just called I-40 instead of I-40-75?

Asking for a friend.

Almost certainly due to the length of the overlay. 40-75 is short while 20-59 is quiet lengthy.  In the same way 77-81 and 64-81 are usually referred to as 81. I’m guessing 80-90 is probably referred to as 80-90.

Resident of Knoxville here; the combined interstates follow I-40's alignment and use its mileage, hence why I-75 often gets forgotten.

[seicer]

I-40 east and west of downtown: 153514 and 94610 AADT
I-65 north and south of downtown: 155968 and 191122 and AADT
I-24 northwest and southeast of downtown: 64480 and 168388 AADT

(Counts taken just outside of TN 155 and Interstate 440.)

I would say that none of the interstates are "forgotten" or are less important and significant. Routes are generally called in the order of their age. So in this case, of Interstate 40 predated Interstate 65, then newscasters and forecasters typically referred to the road as "65" much like how highway names are more commonly referred to before route numbers.

[bigdave]

I drove from Kingsport to Huntsville AL yesterday afternoon. The creek that runs by 11-W from Rutledge most of the way to Blaine was way over its banks, and had flooded just about every creek crossing. There was even a spot where it came onto the Northbound lane of 11-W for just a spot.

The rain has washed out all of the numerous pothole patches on I-40 in downtown Knoxville, and on I-75 south of Knoxville. And it has caused some new ones and they are wide and deep so beware!

Presumably TDoT is out today using their bandaid kits.   

[D-Dey65]

I don't know if this subject has ever been brought up, but should there be an Alternate I-24 from the northbound I-75 Welcome Center to prevent drivers from zig-zagging through all those lanes of traffic?

[codyg1985]

I think the upcoming I-24/75 interchange makeover takes care of the weaving problem with the welcome center.