Interstate 124 overlays U.S. 27 north from the Big Scramble Interchange with I-24 to Downtown Chattanooga and the P.R. Olgiati Bridge spanning the Tennessee River. The 1.95 mile long route is unmarked, with signs only referencing the freeway as U.S. 27. A remaining sign for I-124 was posted at the 4th Street end of the Olgiati Bridge until at least 1998. Most of the I-124 signs were replaced with U.S. 27 several years before due to confusion among non-local motorists with identifying I-24 versus I-124.1
Underway from December 2015 to Fall 2020, a $142.9 million project reconstructed 2.29 miles of U.S. 27, including the entire length of Interstate 124. The freeway was originally built in the 1950s and early 1960s. Work straightened out an S-curve, expanded the capacity to six overall lanes plus auxiliary lanes, modified interchanges at W Main Street, MLK Boulevard and E 4th Street, and replaced several bridges. The Ogliati Bridge was also widened with an additional lane per direction and outside shoulders.
U.S. 27 extends northward along a freeway from Chattanooga to Red Bank, Soddy Daisy and SR 111. SR 111 continues the freeway west to U.S. 127 at Dunlap. This section was never apart of Interstate 124.
| Entrance ramps from Broad Street north and Williams Street south converge with U.S. 27 northbound to I-124 through the Big Scramble Interchange. 01/21/13 |
| Exit 1 formerly was a loop ramp joining I-124/U.S. 27 with Main Street directly. 01/21/13 |
| I-124/U.S. 27 navigate through an S-curve west of W. Max Finley Stadium. 01/21/13 |
| Renumbered to Exit 1A, Exit 1 to Main Street was replaced by a ramp to parallel Carter Street at W 13th Street. 01/21/13 |
| The cloverleaf interchange with Martin Luther King Boulevard (SR 316) east was rebuilt and renumbered to Exit 1B. 01/21/13 |
| Downtown Chattanooga at Martin Luther King Boulevard (SR 316). 01/21/13 |
| The S-curve at the parclo interchange with 4th Street (SR 389) was straightened out during 2015-2020 construction. The exchange was rebuilt into a diamond. 01/21/13 |
| Interstate 124 concludes as U.S. 27 shifts onto the P.R. Olgiati Bridge across the Tennessee River. 01/21/13 |
| The Olgiati Bridge was previously reconstructed in 2003 with provisions built in for the eventual widening in 2019. 01/21/13 |
| U.S. 27 crosses the P.R. Olgiati Bridge with eight overall lanes. 01/21/13 |
| Riverfront Parkway, which passes below the Olgiati Bridge without direct access, was formerly a part of State Route 58. 01/21/13 |
| Interstate 124 commences southbound at Exit 1C with W 4th Street (SR 389). The exchange was rebuilt from a parclo into a diamond with the freeway mainline straightened out to eliminate an S-curve. 01/21/13 |
| Exit 1B was replaced with a frontage road extending south from Exit 1C at 4th Street to 6th Street and Martin Luther King Boulevard. 01/21/13 |
| The loop ramp (Exit 1A) for Martin Luther King Boulevard (SR 316) east into Downtown Chattanooga was retained during 2015-20 roadwork. 01/21/13 |
| I-124/U.S. 27 navigate through an S-curve across W Main Street and Riverfront Parkway ahead of the three-wye interchange with Interstate 24. 01/21/13 |
| U.S. 27 joins a c/d roadway along I-24 eastbound through the Big Scramble Interchange. 01/21/13 |
| Lookout Mountain appears to the southwest from the S-curve taking I-124/U.S. 27 across W 20th Street. 01/21/13 |
| I-24 heads west around Lookout Mountain into north Georgia, where it connects with I-59 south to Birmingham, Alabama. 01/21/13 |
| Interstate 24 curves across the top level of the Big Scramble Interchange with I-124/U.S. 27. 01/21/13 |
| The ramp taking U.S. 27 south onto I-24 east joins the c/d roadway ahead of ramps for U.S. 11-41-64-72 (Broad Street) and Williams Street. 01/21/13 |
Sources:
- "No Signs, But It's Still There" Chattanooga Times Free Press (TN), September 2, 1998.
Connect with:
Interstate 24
U.S. 27
Page Updated 08-22-2020.