Tennessee

[codyg1985]

I've noticed that several interstate exits in the TN half of the Memphis area have asphalt thru-lanes with concrete exit ramps. Anyone have any idea why this is? It doesn't appear to be a case of a concrete highway being covered and the ramps left untouched, although it could be. Only thing I could think of was using concrete on ramps so that they will last longer under the stress of cars slowing and stopping on the ramp. Ironically, in the MS half of the metro the thru-lanes are concrete and exit ramps are asphalt.

Tennessee will often build the main lanes with either asphalt or concrete and will build the exit ramps from concrete. This is typical throughout Tennessee. My guess is that this is done to prevent rutting on the exit ramps as vehicles, especially large trucks, apply brakes to stop at the end of the ramp, as you suggested.

EDIT: Man I should learn to read more sometimes.

[froggie]

That MS used concrete to begin with is impressive.  The only two recent (within the last 20 years) projects I can think of offhand where MDOT used concrete instead of asphalt are the I-55 widening near Memphis and the US 82 Starkville bypass.  Virtually every other widening/expansion project they've done over the past 20 years has been asphalt.

[UptownRoadGeek]

Tennessee will often build the main lanes with either asphalt or concrete and will build the exit ramps from concrete. This is typical throughout Tennessee. My guess is that this is done to prevent rutting on the exit ramps as vehicles, especially large trucks, apply brakes to stop at the end of the ramp, as you suggested.

EDIT: Man I should learn to read more sometimes.

Interesting.

That MS used concrete to begin with is impressive.  The only two recent (within the last 20 years) projects I can think of offhand where MDOT used concrete instead of asphalt are the I-55 widening near Memphis and the US 82 Starkville bypass.  Virtually every other widening/expansion project they've done over the past 20 years has been asphalt.

Could it be Northern district thing? Isn't the new I-69 all concrete as well? I also noticed that this is the only area in Mississippi that have sound barriers and not the cheap ones, but concrete barriers with magnoila designs in them. Would have expected to see that in the Jackson or Gulf Coast areas first.

How is traffic heading into Memphis from that area, I'm assuming that it is enough to warrant 8 lanes. I can remember when I-55 used to go from dark rural 4-lane highway to instant 8-lane urban freeway with lights, hov lanes, etc. at the Tennessee line. Of course that wasn't too long ago.

[froggie]

Given traffic volumes, MDOT probably could've gotten away with 6 lanes.  The extra lane, presumably, was added so that there'd be an HOV lane.

[codyg1985]

Widening of I-65 in Williamson County 50% Complete: http://www.wkrn.com/story/16379142/i-65-widening-project-williamson-county

[mightyace]

^^^
After reading the article, I'm thinking that they mean 50% of Phase 1 (Exit 61 to Exit 65), not the whole project down to TN 840 (Exit 59).

My first impression on reading that headline is "that isn't right" as nothing has started south of Peytonsville Rd. (Exit 61).

BTW: Google maps navigation has for the last few months acted as if I-65 between exits 61 and 65 does not exist or is closed.  Any routing you do will bypass that stretch and when you are on it, my phone says, "Unable to find a route to your destination."  Most likely, someone at Google or someone in MapMaker marked the stretch as closed instead of Under Construction.

[rcm195]

I was wondering if anyone knows the status of the Crump Blvd, I-55 improvement projects in Memphis? I thought I saw something about ROW being bought up?

[codyg1985]

They are doing some interim improvements there right now, but I don't know if ROW has been bought for the main project just yet.

[wriddle082]

Here's the latest on I-55 at Crump Blvd:  FHWA has approved the final EIS!

http://news.tn.gov/node/8385

[rte66man]

Here's the latest on I-55 at Crump Blvd:  FHWA has approved the final EIS!

http://news.tn.gov/node/8385

So when will they start turning dirt?

rte66man

[codyg1985]

Here is an article that outlines the reconstruction planned for US 27 in Chattanooga between the Tennessee River and I-24. Reconstruction north of the Tennessee River to US 127 is already underway. It shows a map that details the reconstruction as well.

[hbelkins]

Might be time for a Chattanooga meet sometime.

[codyg1985]

^I was thinking that for sometime in 2013 or 2014 perhaps. This is going to be a big project.

[rickmastfan67]

Here is an article that outlines the reconstruction planned for US 27 in Chattanooga between the Tennessee River and I-24. Reconstruction north of the Tennessee River to US 127 is already underway. It shows a map that details the reconstruction as well.

Maybe they will then un-hide I-124 once again.

[Grzrd]

TDOT has released its 2013-15 3-Year Plan and an accompanying Regional Project Highlights sheet.

A couple of interesting projects are ROW acquisition for the I-55/ Crump Boulevard interchange in 2013 and ROW acquisition for widening Lamar Avenue from the MS state line to Shelby Drive in 2014.

[codyg1985]

^ I-65 widening looks like it will continue south of Franklin out to TN 840 in FY 13.

[codyg1985]

Design for US 27 reconstruction south of the Tennessee River in Chattanooga put on hold: http://timesfreepress.com/news/2012/apr/17/a1-us-27-redesign-on-hold-chattanooga/

[codyg1985]

We took a look at the I-55/Crump Blvd interchange at the Memphis road meet on Saturday. The interim improvements include adding a lane to the loop that carries I-55 NB traffic to the MS River Bridge. It also eliminates the loop ramp from EB Crump to NB Riverside Drive. That movement has been replaced with a left turn from EB Crump to the existing ramp from WB Crump Blvd. Oddly enough, it is signed as a Left Exit from SB I-55.

[hbelkins]

We took a look at the I-55/Crump Blvd interchange at the Memphis road meet on Saturday. The interim improvements include adding a lane to the loop that carries I-55 NB traffic to the MS River Bridge. It also eliminates the loop ramp from EB Crump to NB Riverside Drive. That movement has been replaced with a left turn from EB Crump to the existing ramp from WB Crump Blvd. Oddly enough, it is signed as a Left Exit from SB I-55.

So there are two lanes on that tight cloverleaf ramp? I'll bet that is interesting.

[codyg1985]

We took a look at the I-55/Crump Blvd interchange at the Memphis road meet on Saturday. The interim improvements include adding a lane to the loop that carries I-55 NB traffic to the MS River Bridge. It also eliminates the loop ramp from EB Crump to NB Riverside Drive. That movement has been replaced with a left turn from EB Crump to the existing ramp from WB Crump Blvd. Oddly enough, it is signed as a Left Exit from SB I-55.

So there are two lanes on that tight cloverleaf ramp? I'll bet that is interesting.

It is a little awkward. Crump Blvd reduces to one lane going westbound to make room for the two lanes coming in from the loop. Since the loop in the SE quadrant of the interchange was removed, it allowed the rightmost lane to be extended south a bit. There are new diagrammatic signs going NB on I-55 showing the split as well. I wished I would have gotten pics of them.

[Alex]

Contrary to what the Rand McNally Atlas shows, the northern section of the Cleveland, TN bypass is not a freeway. Drove it from I-75 east to U.S. 11 Bypass earlier this week and it is littered with traffic lights and businesses.

[Grzrd]

The TDOT website has announced Commissioner John Schroer's Projects Tour, in which he will have four separate tours for the four TDOT regions.  Agendas will eventually be posted for all four tours.  The first tour begins Monday, August 13 in Chattanooga and the Region 2 Agenda has been posted. The respective Agendas should be some good roadgeeking idea-generators.

[codyg1985]

I really think a road meet for the US 27 reconstruction should be in order at some point. 

[jpi]

I do agree about a possible road meet for Chattanooga but I think the US 27 construction is on hold for now, maybe perhaps next fall, I have bee seriously considering hosting a meet down there since I did Memphis without a hitch and Chattanooga is even closer to me ( 2 hours as apposed to 3 hours from Memphis)

[codyg1985]

I do agree about a possible road meet for Chattanooga but I think the US 27 construction is on hold for now, maybe perhaps next fall, I have bee seriously considering hosting a meet down there since I did Memphis without a hitch and Chattanooga is even closer to me ( 2 hours as apposed to 3 hours from Memphis)

What's the work on hold for?