State Route 158 - James White Parkway
James White Parkway was closed between December 17, 2006 and September 21, 2007 for a complete rebuild as part of the Smartfix40 project. Hall of Fame Drive was extended southward ahead of the reconstruction. Six new bridges and four new ramps and a tunnel were part of the project.1 A 1.2 mile stretch of SR 158 was expanded to eight lanes with the addition of a new on-ramp from Hall of Fame Drive. The Summit Hill Drive off-ramp was also expanded during the work.2
Downtown Business Loop or Knoxville's Business Loop (SR 158) and South Knox Boulevard (SR 71) were renamed James White Parkway by the Metropolitan Planning Commission of Knoxville and Knox County on May 9, 1991. The renaming did not affect the portion of South Knox Boulevard until it tied in with SR 158 on the north side of the Tennessee River however.3 James White built White's Fort in 1786. The fort became the first capital of the Southwest Territory, the predecessor to the state of Tennessee, in 1790 and part of the newly created city of Knoxville in 1791.
East
SR 158 (Neyland Drive) hugs the north banks of the Tennessee River south of the University of Tennessee campus. The parkway provides a four lane corridor with several peaks at the river itself. Pictured here at milepost 2 are the river crossings of the Norfolk-Southern Railroad and U.S. 441 (Henley Street Bridge) and the Knoxville skyline.
08/23/03
A truss bridge carries the Norfolk Southern Railroad across the Tennessee River. The railroad line passes through the 1982 World's Fair Park nearby to the west of Downtown Knoxville.
08/23/03
A view of Volunteer Landing, a riverside park and walk of the Tennessee River below the Henley Street Bridge of U.S. 441.
08/23/03
An I-40 east trailblazer directs motorists eastward along Neyland Drive to James White Parkway north. Passing above is the 1931-built Henley Street Bridge of U.S. 441. The six-span arch bridge was closed January 3, 2011 for a $31 million repair job4 aimed at replacing the bridge deck and repairing the arches and piers. Construction was completed in 2014.
08/23/03
Looking east from the Locust Street ramp onto SR 158 westbound at the Neyland Drive intersection with Walnut Street. The Gay Street Bridge dominates the back drop.
08/23/03
SR 158 eastbound at the Volunteer Landing Lane off-ramp to Hill Avenue at Hall of Fame Drive. SR 158 (Neyland Drive) transitions into a four lane freeway.
08/23/03
The Gay Street Bridge passes over SR 158 from downtown Knoxville to Blount Avenue west and Sevier Avenue east to South Knoxville. Opened in 1898, the steel arch bridge spans the Tennessee River at 1,512 feet in length. Work was ongoing at the time of this photograph during a three year project (2001-04) to replace the bridge deck.
08/23/03
Approaching the merge with James White Parkway north along SR 158 (Neyland Drive) east. SR 71 begins here and continues James White Parkway south across the Tennessee River to South Knoxville and Sevierville Pike. The SR 71 eastbound ramp from Neyland Drive doubles as the exit for Hall of Fame Drive and the National Women's Basketball Hall of Fame.
08/23/03
A concrete arch bridge carries Hill Drive high above the SR 158 & 71 split. Departing to the right is the Hall of Fame Drive off-ramp from the connection to James White Parkway south.
08/23/03
SR 71 north traffic merges with SR 158 (James White Parkway) east to expand the road to four northbound lanes. All of the freeway was reconstructed from the Summit Hill Drive overpass to the directional T interchange with Interstate 40.
10/15/11
Historical look of SR 158 eastbound at the original Magnolia Avenue (U.S. 11-25W-70) exit removed during SmartFix40 reconstruction. The James White Parkway viaduct leading north from the Summit Hill Drive overpass was torn down and rebuilt since this photo was taken. An on-ramp now takes the place of the former Hall of Fame Drive off-ramp to U.S. 11-25W-70.
08/23/03
Hall of Fame Drive was rebuilt during Smartfix40 work, traveling alongside SR 158 (James White Parkway) east ahead of the ramp split to Interstate 40. Two lanes shuttle drivers onto each direction of Interstate 40.
10/15/11
SR 158 (James White Parkway) concludes as drivers join Interstate 40 east to Asheville, North Carolina and Interstate 40 west to the merge with I-75 through the western suburbs. Smartfix40 work eliminated the weaving traffic patterns of I-40 between SR 158 and adjacent Hall of Fame Drive.
10/15/11
West
Two lanes depart Interstate 40 east for SR 158 (James White Parkway) westbound. Ramps from both directions of I-40 pass over Magnolia Avenue ahead of their merge.
10/15/11
The right lane of the ramp from I-40 east defaults onto Summit Hill Drive as SR 158 continues south toward downtown.
10/15/11
Pre-SmartFix40 scene of the SR 158 (James White Parkway) viaduct leading toward what was a half diamond interchange with Summit Hill Drive. Ramps from Magnolia Avenue were removed, as was the eastbound on-ramp from Summit Hill Drive directly. The viaduct was also torn down and replaced as part of the project.
08/23/03
Three lanes of SR 158 west continue to the split with SR 71 (James White Parkway) south from the Summit Hill Drive off-ramp. Summit Hill Drive travels east-west between U.S. 441, north of the central business district, to Dandridge Avenue at Hill Avenue.
10/15/11
SR 71 southbound continues James White Parkway east from SR 158 at a directional interchange. James White Parkway travels east along the Tennessee River then south (formerly as South Knox Boulevard) to Sevierville Pike, north of Lake Forest.
10/15/11
SR 158 westbound lowers next to the eastbound lanes ahead of the Cumberland Avenue off-ramp to downtown Knoxville. Cumberland Avenue flows west six blocks from the Neyland Drive to U.S. 441 (Henley Street) through the central business district.
08/23/03
The Henley Street Bridge carries U.S. 441 over both the Tennessee River and SR 158 (Neyland Drive) in this scene from the Locust Street on-ramp.
08/23/03
References:
- "James White Parkway ready for drivers again." Knoxville News Sentinel (TN), September 22, 2007.
- "Parkway to reopen, with plenty of changes." Knoxville News Sentinel (TN), September 19, 2007.
- "Street Named for Summitt." Knoxville News Sentinel (TN), May 10, 1991.
http://thompsonengineering.com/projects/detail/henley_street_bridge_project/
Photo Credits:
- Alex Nitzman, Justin Cozart: 08/23/03
- Carter Buchanan: 10/15/11
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Page Updated Friday February 17, 2012.