Re-shielding existing routes for a Bypass and Spur freeways in Nashville

[SFPredsFan]

I received a reply from TDOT regarding the stub/ghost ramp from I-65 south to SR155 east that someone mentioned earlier in this thread. According to TDOT, it is wasn't intended to be completed within the budget plans when the SR155/I-65/Ellington Parkway interchange was rebuilt, but the stub ramp was built as a future ramp extension when funds become available. I asked the question at a TDOT meeting for the I-24 corridor study that will be finished later this month. This is the text of the e-mail.

http://goo.gl/maps/0FNlG   

Mr. Cole
I have researched the Briley Parkway stub ramp at the Ellington Parkway junction. You are correct that this proposed ramp would replace the existing loop ramp from I-65 south to Briley Parkway. I travel the exiting loop ramp weekly and I am very familiar with this movement. The extension of the stub ramp was not part of the initial project due to the cost of it mostly being on structure. The highway funding budget is considered on a yearly basis. There are currently $ 8.4 billion dollars of projects in the project development process with an annual funding source of approximately $ 500 million. We have monitored the existing loop ramp for operations and safety and will continue to do so. Thank you for your comments and we will consider them as we proceed with our corridor studies. If you have any questions, please contact me.

Thanks
Steve

Steve Allen
Director
Strategic Transportation Investments Division
Tennessee Department of Transportation
505 Deaderick St. Suite 1000
Nashville, TN 37243

[renegade]

To the OP:  I was in Nashville on Dec. 27th., for the first time in ten years, on my way to Lynchburg.  I-24 has become an absolute nightmare.  I wish I would have known about some of the alternate routes that have been discussed in this thread.  Downtown Nashville needs some relief.  I hope you are successful in getting the changes you would like to see implemented.

[SFPredsFan]

Tell me about it. 6+ hours a day M-F, I-24 from Sam Ridley Parkway in Rutherford County all the way to the I-24/I-65 split north of downtown Nashville is a parking lot. I-40 and I-65, except for the downtown loop, don't seem to be as bad as I-24 though. A couple of weeks ago, there were a few accidents at just the wrong places on I-40, I-24, I-65, and I-440 in Metro Nashville and the entire city was gridlocked until almost 11pm. I work next to I-24 and I saw the same trucks/cars sitting for an hour at a time that just didn't move.