Nashville to Memphis Alternative

[HPfromTN]

In recent months, I have stopped driving I-40 from Nashville to Memphis.  I have to make this drive many times a year.  There was a period of 4 or 5 consecutive times where there was a delay of more than one hour.  Three times, there were multiple delays that made a 3-hour drive become a 4 1/2 hour drive.  Between construction and accidents, and because it is quite dull to make this trip, I decided to return to the old ways.

I began taking State Highway 100 to US-64 into Germantown.  From our house near the US 70-TN-100 junction to the Wolfchase Galleria in Memphis, it has been taking 4 hours via I-40 due to the construction delays and typical accidents.  Via Highway 100 and US 64, it takes 3 1/2 hours to make this same trip.

On many days, Highway 100 has few cars travelling between the cities.  I have had several miles of highway all to myself, while the cars are almost parked on I-40 in places.

There are great places to stop on this route if you want to tour some nice small towns.  You have an option of enjoying a picnic meal at three different state parks, two on the Tennessee River, and one west of Henderson.  In the summer, a lot of Highway 100 is shaded, whereas I-40 is open to the sun.  Best of all, the scenery is much, much more enjoyable. 

[hbelkins]

I drove from Nashville to Memphis on I-40 once, and I said, "never again." Not because of any particular issues with delays or construction, but because the road was so boring and crowded. If I need to go to Memphis or points west, I'll be using other routes. The Kentucky parkways, US 51 and I-55 will probably be my primary option.

[Brian556]

You are forgetting the biggest drawback of this section of highway: No place to pee

[wriddle082]

The stretch through Fairview and heading into Hickman County to Centerville can be a slog at times, but I think they're planning on widening it soon, at least through Fairview.  But yes, beyond Centerville it's a great ride, with a good bypass around Henderson.  And you get to pass by one of Tennessee's very rare A state routes (TN 22A).

[MikeTheActuary]

You are forgetting the biggest drawback of this section of highway: No place to pee

Snapple bottles are a male roadtripper's best friend.

[Brian556]

You are forgetting the biggest drawback of this section of highway: No place to pee

Snapple bottles are a male roadtripper's best friend.

I prefer the bushes

[hbelkins]

I can't speak to conditions along I-55 in Arkansas, but there are plenty of services available along the Kentucky parkways and US 51. Granted, the Bluegrass can be a long haul with nothing for miles between Lawrenceburg and Bardstown, but there are services at Leitchfield, Caneyville, the recently-reopened service area, Beaver Dam, Central City, Providence (WK), Kuttawa, Eddyville, Kentucky Dam (I-24), Draffenville, Benton, Mayfield, Fulton (Purchase), Union City and Dyersburg (US 51).

[sparker]

If I-40 for some reason was either problematic, boring, pedantic, etc. -- one could always just stick with the "old road" (for old times' sake?) US 70, at least as far west as Huntington.  If you wanted to avoid Jackson, just continue west on Alternate 70 (that's what it's for) and US 79 via Milan.  And once in Brownsville, the combination of TN 54 and TN 14 into Memphis isn't a bad ride -- I did it once years ago to avoid road work on I-40.  To me, it's always nice -- and often enlightening -- to occasionally visit parts of the countryside bypassed by the Interstate. 

[HPfromTN]

US 70 has a lot more towns with speed zones, which is why we take TN-100 to US-64.  At 64, it is 4-lane all the way into Memphis.

Speaking of the Henderson Bypass, it also bypasses a great little family-run steakhouse with good portions and affordable prices.  Check out Snookum's on East Main. 

[wriddle082]

US 70 has a lot more towns with speed zones, which is why we take TN-100 to US-64.  At 64, it is 4-lane all the way into Memphis.

Speaking of the Henderson Bypass, it also bypasses a great little family-run steakhouse with good portions and affordable prices.  Check out Snookum's on East Main. 

Henderson also had/has Tennessee's only location of Alabama fast food restaurant Jack's.  I really don't know why their only TN location is there, since Henderson is closer to MS than it is to AL.

[SPAdriver]

Have driven between Nashville and Memphis via I-40 many, many, many times.  It's both boring and busy at the same time.  Only an 8 mile stretch north of Jackson breaks the endless monotony. 

US-70 is about the only decent alternative but you'll be hitting all the small towns - Brownsville, Humboldt, Huntingdon, Camden, Waverly, etc.  - before reaching the outskirts of either Nashville or Memphis.  There's a few 4-lane stretches but mostly 2-lanes. 

SR-100 east of Whiteville is pretty quiet and not particularly scenic.  Miles and miles of rural Tennessee. 

[jdb1234]

US 70 has a lot more towns with speed zones, which is why we take TN-100 to US-64.  At 64, it is 4-lane all the way into Memphis.

Speaking of the Henderson Bypass, it also bypasses a great little family-run steakhouse with good portions and affordable prices.  Check out Snookum's on East Main. 

Henderson also had/has Tennessee's only location of Alabama fast food restaurant Jack's.  I really don't know why their only TN location is there, since Henderson is closer to MS than it is to AL.

There was a Jack's at the Ruby Falls exit on I-24 when I visited Chattanooga back in April.  Jack's Tennessee presence is fairly new.  Although they are based in Birmingham, there are no locations close to where I live.

[bigdave]

Henderson also had/has Tennessee's only location of Alabama fast food restaurant Jack's.  I really don't know why their only TN location is there, since Henderson is closer to MS than it is to AL.

Actually there's a lot more than one in Tennessee. 

https://www.eatatjacks.com/pages/locations?all=1

[HPfromTN]

The original highway from Nashville to Memphis went through Ashland City to Charlotte to Dickson.  It was something like 260-265 miles.  There was another large section west of Waverly that meandered south of present day US 70/TN-1, where it crossed the Tennessee River on a ferry at Trotter's Landing about 2 miles south of the present day US 70 crossing of the river.

The west side of the ferry ramp can be found at these coordinates: 35.992493, -88.007747