I-69 in TN

[hbelkins]

Am I the only one who doesn't find the US 51 corridor from TN 385 north to Dyersburg not all that much of a pain to drive? Sure, there are a few stoplights, but it's nothing major. I've driven all of it twice and segments at other times, and didn't find it an inconvenience.

Say it again, slowly. Not everything needs to be a full freeway.

[wdcrft63]

Am I the only one who doesn't find the US 51 corridor from TN 385 north to Dyersburg not all that much of a pain to drive? Sure, there are a few stoplights, but it's nothing major. I've driven all of it twice and segments at other times, and didn't find it an inconvenience.

Say it again, slowly. Not everything needs to be a full freeway.

That is true, so no freeway construction is likely anytime soon. But one day a freeway will be needed, and what's important is to plan for that day and do whatever needs to be done to make it possible down the road. 20 years ago lots of people would have said that US 70 east of Raleigh NC didn't need to be a full freeway, but now everything wants I-42. Some sections of US 70 were is in good shape to be upgraded, and others weren't.

[rte66man]

Am I the only one who doesn't find the US 51 corridor from TN 385 north to Dyersburg not all that much of a pain to drive? Sure, there are a few stoplights, but it's nothing major. I've driven all of it twice and segments at other times, and didn't find it an inconvenience.

I find there to be way more than "a few" stoplights. A random view of Google shows 6 in Millington, one south of Atoka, one in Atoka, one in Brighton, and eight in Covington.  Didn't bother to go any further north but you get the picture. I personally can't wait for a Covington bypass.

[hbelkins]

Am I the only one who doesn't find the US 51 corridor from TN 385 north to Dyersburg not all that much of a pain to drive? Sure, there are a few stoplights, but it's nothing major. I've driven all of it twice and segments at other times, and didn't find it an inconvenience.

I find there to be way more than "a few" stoplights. A random view of Google shows 6 in Millington, one south of Atoka, one in Atoka, one in Brighton, and eight in Covington.  Didn't bother to go any further north but you get the picture. I personally can't wait for a Covington bypass.

Maybe just do a bypass of Covington then? I have never done the US 51/I-155/I-55 combination as a through route from Kentucky to Memphis or points southwest, but I'd certainly use that, especially if I was going to Arkansas or Texas or points west. (Definitely not ever using I-40 from Nashville to Memphis ever again.) I'm not convinced that the best solution wouldn't be to route I-69 on that corridor and back into Tennessee via I-55, instead of doing a bunch of new construction on the east side of the river when a freeway already exists on the west with a really good crossing option.

[sprjus4]

(Definitely not ever using I-40 from Nashville to Memphis ever again.)

I've only done that routing once, a weekday in August, but when I did, as far as truck traffic & traffic goes, it really wasn't that bad. You get the occasional micro-pass or that one truck who insists on maintaining 70-72 mph and has to pass 20 trucks at once all doing 65 mph in the right lane, but a lot of times the truck passing is done within 1-2 minutes at most.

[sparker]

Am I the only one who doesn't find the US 51 corridor from TN 385 north to Dyersburg not all that much of a pain to drive? Sure, there are a few stoplights, but it's nothing major. I've driven all of it twice and segments at other times, and didn't find it an inconvenience.

Say it again, slowly. Not everything needs to be a full freeway.

That is true, so no freeway construction is likely anytime soon. But one day a freeway will be needed, and what's important is to plan for that day and do whatever needs to be done to make it possible down the road. 20 years ago lots of people would have said that US 70 east of Raleigh NC didn't need to be a full freeway, but now everything wants I-42. Some sections of US 70 were is in good shape to be upgraded, and others weren't.

Part of the problematic nature of US 51 between Memphis and Dyersburg is the fact that much of it, as wetlands or "bottomland" farm acreage, is practically (or financially) undevelopable as housing areas, particularly north of TN 385.  Thus there is little or no "SIU" value as a facility to expedite commuter traffic north out of Memphis -- that city's 'burbs tend to head east or even south into MS.  The only section of true local value would be the southernmost portion between TN 300 and 385, where there is housing with the potential for expansion.  I-69 beyond the immediate metro area is, for all intents & purposes, useful primarily as a longer-distance corridor.   And absent any localized pressure to complete the freeway due to "homegrown" needs, the corridor is likely to be developed on a more leisurely -- ".....eventually we'll get around to it" basis.   

[LM117]

20 years ago lots of people would have said that US 70 east of Raleigh NC didn't need to be a full freeway, but now everything wants I-42. Some sections of US 70 were is in good shape to be upgraded, and others weren't.

Not to get too far OT, but until recent years, US-70 was always a mess. There just wasn't much of a political will for a freeway upgrade 20 years ago because there was very little (if any) cooperation between towns/cities/counties in eastern NC back then. When they finally realized that the status quo wasn't cutting it, they formed the US-70 Corridor Commission and, well, the squeaky wheel got the grease...or rather, I-42.

One thing I never understood is that aside from I-40, US-70 carries the most E/W traffic in eastern NC, and yet US-64 and US-264 were made 70mph freeways while parts of US-70 remained(s) a death trap. That blows my mind.

/OT

[Tomahawkin]

Sparker. That was a great analysis of the land use north of Memphis. That makes perfect sense as to why I have not seen much development there, the last 25 years or so...

[hbelkins]

(Definitely not ever using I-40 from Nashville to Memphis ever again.)

I've only done that routing once, a weekday in August, but when I did, as far as truck traffic & traffic goes, it really wasn't that bad. You get the occasional micro-pass or that one truck who insists on maintaining 70-72 mph and has to pass 20 trucks at once all doing 65 mph in the right lane, but a lot of times the truck passing is done within 1-2 minutes at most.

My issue was that it was exceedingly long and boring, with lots of traffic. Compare it to the Kentucky parkways, which have a lot less traffic and to me are more scenic. I drove it on New Year's Day a few years ago and it was still agonizing.

[sprjus4]

20 years ago lots of people would have said that US 70 east of Raleigh NC didn't need to be a full freeway, but now everything wants I-42. Some sections of US 70 were is in good shape to be upgraded, and others weren't.

Not to get too far OT, but until recent years, US-70 was always a mess. There just wasn't much of a political will for a freeway upgrade 20 years ago because there was very little (if any) cooperation between towns/cities/counties in eastern NC back then. When they finally realized that the status quo wasn't cutting it, they formed the US-70 Corridor Commission and, well, the squeaky wheel got the grease...or rather, I-42.

One thing I never understood is that aside from I-40, US-70 carries the most E/W traffic in eastern NC, and yet US-64 and US-264 were made 70mph freeways while parts of US-70 remained(s) a death trap. That blows my mind.

/OT

US-70 was largely 4-lane or being widened to 4-lanes in the 70s whereas US-64 and US-264 were only 2-lane roads. They determined to four-lane those two corridors, building on new location would be less impactful and better overall than widening. Same scenario with US-220 which is now I-73, and US-29 north of Reidsville. US-70 would likely have gotten the same treatment had it been 2-lanes. Another example would be US-17 north of Williamston - mostly completed in the 70s. If it were still 2-lane, it likely too would have gotten the freeway treatment on new location.

As North Carolina's freeway system is expanding, both US-17 and US-70 will too get the freeway treatment in the ultimate picture, piece by piece.

[Bobby5280]

My issue was that it was exceedingly long and boring, with lots of traffic. Compare it to the Kentucky parkways, which have a lot less traffic and to me are more scenic. I drove it on New Year's Day a few years ago and it was still agonizing.

I agree I-40 between Memphis and Nashville is a bit of a boring slog. The first 130 or so miles East of Memphis has these long straight paths yet the highway goes up and down these modest hills in what seems like a very repetitive, monotonous way.

With so much of it all looking the same it's easy to feel like you're not making any progress getting from point A to point B. Throw in all the heavy truck traffic for good measure. The drive only starts to get a little more interesting when reaching the outskirts of Nashville provided there isn't even more traffic to affect the drive.

[sprjus4]

My issue was that it was exceedingly long and boring, with lots of traffic. Compare it to the Kentucky parkways, which have a lot less traffic and to me are more scenic. I drove it on New Year's Day a few years ago and it was still agonizing.

I agree I-40 between Memphis and Nashville is a bit of a boring slog. The first 130 or so miles East of Memphis has these long straight paths yet the highway goes up and down these modest hills in what seems like a very repetitive, monotonous way.

With so much of it all looking the same it's easy to feel like you're not making any progress getting from point A to point B. Throw in all the heavy truck traffic for good measure. The drive only starts to get a little more interesting when reaching the outskirts of Nashville provided there isn't even more traffic to affect the drive.

I agree it's a boring run, but if you need to get from Point A to Point B, it's the fastest route, and unless I have lots of time on my hand to detour to Kentucky's parkways, I'm going to stick with it.

[hbelkins]

My issue was that it was exceedingly long and boring, with lots of traffic. Compare it to the Kentucky parkways, which have a lot less traffic and to me are more scenic. I drove it on New Year's Day a few years ago and it was still agonizing.

I agree I-40 between Memphis and Nashville is a bit of a boring slog. The first 130 or so miles East of Memphis has these long straight paths yet the highway goes up and down these modest hills in what seems like a very repetitive, monotonous way.

With so much of it all looking the same it's easy to feel like you're not making any progress getting from point A to point B. Throw in all the heavy truck traffic for good measure. The drive only starts to get a little more interesting when reaching the outskirts of Nashville provided there isn't even more traffic to affect the drive.

I agree it's a boring run, but if you need to get from Point A to Point B, it's the fastest route, and unless I have lots of time on my hand to detour to Kentucky's parkways, I'm going to stick with it.

From where you are, sure. But from my location, there are all sorts of advantages to not going through Nashville. Not going through Nashville being tops among them. 

And with there soon to be a four-lane corridor all the way from Somerset to Mayfield/Purchase Parkway/I-69, I don't even need to go north to Lexington to head southwest. Somerset will soon be about 90 minutes from me due to new construction between my area and London. The Cumberland Parkway/I-65/I-165/US 68/KY 80 corridor will be a breeze across the southern part of the state.

[Wayward Memphian]

Am I the only one who doesn't find the US 51 corridor from TN 385 north to Dyersburg not all that much of a pain to drive? Sure, there are a few stoplights, but it's nothing major. I've driven all of it twice and segments at other times, and didn't find it an inconvenience.

Say it again, slowly. Not everything needs to be a full freeway.

That is true, so no freeway construction is likely anytime soon. But one day a freeway will be needed, and what's important is to plan for that day and do whatever needs to be done to make it possible down the road. 20 years ago lots of people would have said that US 70 east of Raleigh NC didn't need to be a full freeway, but now everything wants I-42. Some sections of US 70 were is in good shape to be upgraded, and others weren't.

Part of the problematic nature of US 51 between Memphis and Dyersburg is the fact that much of it, as wetlands or "bottomland" farm acreage, is practically (or financially) undevelopable as housing areas, particularly north of TN 385.  Thus there is little or no "SIU" value as a facility to expedite commuter traffic north out of Memphis -- that city's 'burbs tend to head east or even south into MS.  The only section of true local value would be the southernmost portion between TN 300 and 385, where there is housing with the potential for expansion.  I-69 beyond the immediate metro area is, for all intents & purposes, useful primarily as a longer-distance corridor.   And absent any localized pressure to complete the freeway due to "homegrown" needs, the corridor is likely to be developed on a more leisurely -- ".....eventually we'll get around to it" basis.   

Here the thing. With Downtown Memphisnseeming becoming 'hot'. The best house building blank slates and transit time lies in AR. The bottleneck and the specter of West Memphis.and it's ills have really held it back. Another route getting the OTR traffic through the area decreasing it over the Old.Bridge.and it's a light free boulevard to downtown.

[rte66man]

My issue was that it was exceedingly long and boring, with lots of traffic. Compare it to the Kentucky parkways, which have a lot less traffic and to me are more scenic. I drove it on New Year's Day a few years ago and it was still agonizing.

I agree I-40 between Memphis and Nashville is a bit of a boring slog. The first 130 or so miles East of Memphis has these long straight paths yet the highway goes up and down these modest hills in what seems like a very repetitive, monotonous way.

With so much of it all looking the same it's easy to feel like you're not making any progress getting from point A to point B. Throw in all the heavy truck traffic for good measure. The drive only starts to get a little more interesting when reaching the outskirts of Nashville provided there isn't even more traffic to affect the drive.

Agree that Memphis to the Tennessee River bridge is monotonous, but I rather enjoy the stretch from there to Nashville.  It tends to follow the terrain more than just blasting through it.  I was always curious why it took a more or less straight line from Jackson to Nashville instead of following US70.  Even back in the 60's, I wold have thought that towns like Huntington, Camden, and Waverly would have raised a big stink. I remember how terrible TN69 from I40 to Camden was.

[The Ghostbuster]

If/when the Interstate 69 freeway gets constructed, could they possibly utilize some of the existing US 51 four-lane highway as part of the route? Or are there too many homes and businesses along the route to make anything but a new alignment practical?

[Bobby5280]

They might be able to upgrade some existing segments of US-51 between Millington and Dyersburg, such as the rural segment South of Dyersburg that passes West of the towns of Halls and Gates. Farther South, closer to Millington, too much of the existing US-51 highway has been encroached by development. There's not enough space to expand it into a freeway flanked by frontage roads. There is one spot near Atoka where US-51 spreads out in a Texas-style freeway upgrade-ready configuration. But some idiot sold the land in the median to residential development, so there's a freaking home sitting in the middle of it! Gotta love that cronyism and bureaucrats who can't see the big picture.

[Scott5114]

Am I the only one who doesn't find the US 51 corridor from TN 385 north to Dyersburg not all that much of a pain to drive?

Say it again, slowly.

Well, you're the boss.

Am I the only one

Uh-huh...with you so far...

who doesn't find

Right...

the US 51 corridor from TN 385 north to Dyersburg

That's a road...

not all that much of a pain to drive?

Wait, what?

[froggie]

If/when the Interstate 69 freeway gets constructed, could they possibly utilize some of the existing US 51 four-lane highway as part of the route? Or are there too many homes and businesses along the route to make anything but a new alignment practical?

You could have answered your own question with a quick look at Google Maps.

But some idiot sold the land in the median to residential development, so there's a freaking home sitting in the middle of it! Gotta love that cronyism and bureaucrats who can't see the big picture.

Keep in mind that Tennessee, like much of the South, places a high emphasis on property rights...often a higher emphasis than on proper infrastructure.

[seicer]

Is I-69 signed north of Memphis anywhere? There is a segment of US 51 on Google Maps that shows up with I-69 shields.

[MikeTheActuary]

Is I-69 signed north of Memphis anywhere? There is a segment of US 51 on Google Maps that shows up with I-69 shields.

Ignoring the "future I-69 corridor" signs, according to TDOT, I-69 doesn't exist in Tennessee yet.

[X99]

Is I-69 signed north of Memphis anywhere? There is a segment of US 51 on Google Maps that shows up with I-69 shields.

Oh yeah, I remember seeing that. I-69 is signed on the segment of US 51 at the TN-183 interchange, BETWEEN the ramp sets, and nowhere else in the area. At the zoom level where only Interstates and in-development Interstate corridors (like US 70/I-42) show up, the segment is so small it doesn't exist.

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

Is I-69 signed north of Memphis anywhere? There is a segment of US 51 on Google Maps that shows up with I-69 shields.

How far north do you want? There are plenty of I-69 shields in Kentucky, Indiana, and Michigan. 

[Verlanka]

Is I-69 signed north of Memphis anywhere? There is a segment of US 51 on Google Maps that shows up with I-69 shields.

How far north do you want? There are plenty of I-69 shields in Kentucky, Indiana, and Michigan. 

He ment in Tennessee.

[GreenLanternCorps]

Is I-69 signed north of Memphis anywhere? There is a segment of US 51 on Google Maps that shows up with I-69 shields.

Oh yeah, I remember seeing that. I-69 is signed on the segment of US 51 at the TN-183 interchange, BETWEEN the ramp sets, and nowhere else in the area. At the zoom level where only Interstates and in-development Interstate corridors (like US 70/I-42) show up, the segment is so small it doesn't exist.

I just looked at that section on Google Maps and could not find the I-69 signs.