Interstate 440 Tennessee

Interstate 440 Tennessee

Overview

Interstate 440 provides a southern Bypass of Downtown Nashville and commuter route between I-40 near Sylvan Heights and I-24 near Woodbine. A four level interchange connects the urban loop with I-65 at Berry Hill.

Interstate 440 was originally named “The Four-Forty Parkway”. A $154.8 million project reconstructed the entire freeway, expanding I-440 to six overall lanes and replacing the deteriorating concrete roadways. Work also included new lighting and ramp improvements at the exchange with Murphy Road / U.S. 70S (West End Avenue) and U.S. 421 (21st Avenue S).4 Nearly 300 trees and 2,623 shrubs were planted as well.5

The design-build project commenced in Fall 2018 with the installation of new sound walls. Major construction began in March 2019, which included the removal of the grass median throughout the entire corridor. Work wrapped up two weeks ahead of schedule and the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) held a caravan to celebrate completion of the project on July 2, 2020.5

I-440 at US 70S - West End, Nashville, TN

Interstate 440 between Murphy Road and U.S. 70S (West End Avenue) at the Richland-West End and Hillsboro-West End neighborhoods in Nashville, Tennessee. 09/07/20

History

The 7.64 mile long loop was proposed for decades before the first layers of concrete were poured.1 Community opposition to the route arose through the 1970s, with community activists and citizens groups including the “Nashvillians Against I-440” delaying progress on the route. A lawsuit was filed in 1981 to stop construction on I-440, but a judge ruled that the route would not adversely impact the natural environmental and that adequate procedures were followed by the state. Work finally broke ground in 1982, with demolition of homes along Primrose Circle (east of Exit 3) and clearing of a railroad gulch.2

Concerns from area residents led to TDOT adopting extraordinary measures in construction of the road. Blasting efforts to remove rock along the below grade sections of Interstate 440 were required to minimize noise and combustible pollutants. Roadway design was also altered to beautify and better blend in the freeway with the adjacent area. A truck ban was proposed for the route as well.2

Interstate 440 opened initially in 19862. The completed section ran between I-65 and I-24 per the 1986 Rand McNally and Gousha North American Road Atlases. The remaining portion from I-65 to Interstate 40 opened in 1987.3 Outside of pavement repairs, the parkway remained mostly unchanged over the ensuing decades, with the exception of a third eastbound lane added between I-65 and U.S. 31A/41A (Nolensville Pike) in 2012-13.2

Route Information

  • East End – Nashville, TN

  • West End – Nashville, TN

  • Mileage – 7.64

  • Cities – Nashville

  • Junctions –

Source: December 31, 2021 Interstate Route Log and Finders List

I-440 Tennessee Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT)

Source: Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) Transportation Data Management System 2021 AADT

Nashville, TN - 1986
Nashville inset – 1986 Tennessee Official Highway Map

I-440 is the lone remaining branch Interstate in Nashville. I-265 to the north of Downtown was renumbered as part of a realignment of I-65 in 2000.

Nashville, TN - 1986
Nashville Inset – 1986 Gousha North American Road Atlas

Interstate 440 opened first between Berry Hill and I-24 by Cunningham Heights.

Photo Guides

East End I-24 – Nashville, Tennessee

I-440 East at I-24

I-440 east at I-24 - Nashville, TN

A parclo interchange (Exit 6) connects I-440 with U.S. 31/41 Alternate (Nolensville Road), 1.25 miles west of Interstate 24. 09/07/20

I-440 east at I-24 - Nashville, TN

I-440 travels below grade ahead of the separation into ramps for Interstate 24. There are many rock cuts along both I-40 and I-440 in the city of Nashville. 09/07/20

I-440 east at I-24 - Nashville, TN

Traffic separates into two lane ramps for Interstate 24 beyond the Lyle Lane overpass. 09/07/20

I-440 east at I-24 - Nashville, TN

The flyover to I-24 west connects with the adjacent exchange for U.S. 41/70S (Murfreesboro Road) ahead of the overlap with Interstate 40 to Downtown Nashville. 09/07/20

I-24 West at I-440

1.75 miles south of I-440 west on I-24 west in Nashville, TN

Interstate 24 advances 1.75 miles northwest to I-440 west. The ensuing exit is for SR 155 (Briley Parkway). 12/20/23

I-24 west at SR 155, 1.25 miles from I-440 west in Nashville, TN

Exit 54 leaves Interstate 24 west for SR 155 (Briley Parkway) 1.25 miles ahead of I-440 west. 12/20/23

I-24 west meets I-440 west ahead of U.S. 41/70S in Nashville, TN

Ramps from adjacent U.S. 41/70S (Murfreesboro Pike) tie into the exchanges connecting Interstate 24 with I-440 west and I-40. 12/20/23

I-24 west at I-440 west around central Nashville, Tennessee

Exit 53 parts ways from I-24 west for Interstate 440 to I-40 for Memphis. I-24/40 converge ahead of Downtown Nashville, located four miles to the northwest. Nashville International Airport (BNA) lies four miles to the east. 12/20/23

I-24 East at I-440

I-24 east at I-440 - Nashville, TN

Branching southward from I-40, succeeding ramps depart from I-24 east for U.S. 41/70S (Murfreesboro Road) and Interstate 440 west. 11/07/11

I-24 east at I-440 - Nashville, TN

Traffic from I-40 to I-24 east separates along two roadways through the exchange with Interstate 440. 04/05/13

I-24 east at I-440 - Nashville, TN

Exit 53 from both roadways along I-24 east departs simultaneously for Interstate 440 west. I-24 continues southeast 24 miles to Murphreesboro. 04/05/13

I-440 East End Throwback

I-24 East at I-440

I-440 east at I-24 - 2003

Eastbound Interstate 440 prior to the lane addition from U.S. 31A/41A (Nolensville Road) east to I-24. Photo by Chris Patriarca (05/18/03).

I-440 east at I-24 - 2003

Widening of I-440 east to I-24 included replacing the landscaped median with a concrete barrier. Photo by Chris Patriarca (05/18/03).

I-440 east at I-24 - 2003

Former signage at the east end of Interstate 440. Photo by Chris Patriarca (05/18/03).

I-24 West at I-440

Former overheads for I-440 and SR 155 on I-24 westbound

I-24 meets SR 155 (Briley Parkway) one mile south of Interstate 440 west. Briley Parkway is a freeway loop encircling Nashville north of I-40. This overhead assembly was removed due to the placement of an Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) sign bridge as part of the Interstate 24 SMART Corridor. 09/07/20

I-24 west at SR 155 (Briley Parkway) ahead of I-440 west

The diagrammatic sign at the cloverleaf interchange (Exit 54) with SR 155 (Briley Parkway) was also removed due to ITS installation for the Interstate 24 SMART Corridor launched in June 2023. 09/07/20

I-40 West at I-24 I-440

I-40 west at I-24/440 - 2003

Interstate 40 prior to expansion to ten lanes between SR 155 (Briley Parkway) and I-24. Photo by Chris Patriarca (05/18/03).

I-40 west at I-24/440 - 2003

Expansion of I-40 at three-wye interchange (Exit 213) with I-24 added a third lane for both freeways. Photo by Chris Patriarca (05/18/03).

I-40 west at I-24/440 - 2003

Spence Lane connects with U.S. 41/70S (Murphreesboro Pike) to the south and U.S. 70 (Lebanon Pike) to the north. Photo by Chris Patriarca (05/18/03).

I-40 west at I-24/440 - 2003

Interstate 40 combines with I-24 northwest to Downtown Nashville. Exit 213A departs for I-24 east ahead of the exchange with Interstate 440 west to south Nashville, Berry Hill and Oak Hill. Photo by Chris Patriarca (05/18/03).

I-24 east at I-440 - 2003

Replaced overheads along the roadway joining I-40 west with I-24 east ahead of Interstate 440. Photo by Chris Patriarca (05/18/03).

West End I-40 – Nashville, Tennessee

I-440 West at I-40

I-440 west at I-40 - Nashville, TN

Interstate 440 turns northward from the Hillsboro-West End neighborhood to I-40 beyond Murphy Road. 09/07/20

I-440 west at I-40 - Nashville, TN

I-440 spans a CSX Railroad line along the east side of the Sylvan Heights neighborhood a half mile south of Interstate 40. 09/07/20

I-440 west at I-40 - Nashville, TN

Interstate 40 travels three miles east from I-440 into Downtown Nashville alongside I-65 south. Westward I-40 meets SR 155 (Briley Parkway) in two miles and the city of Memphis in 191 miles. 09/07/20

I-40 East at I-440

I-40 east at I-440 - Nashville, TN

Interstate 440 branches south from I-40 one mile east of the exchange with 46th Avenue N at the Nations neighborhood. I-440 east to I-24 west provides a bypass around Downtown Nashville for through traffic. 01/15/19

I-40 east at I-440 - Nashville, TN

Two lanes connect with I-440 east at Exit 206 while three lanes continue east to Interstate 65 and Downtown Nashville. 01/15/19

I-40 east at I-440 - Nashville, TN

Southeast from I-40, Interstate 440 meets I-65 in five miles at the city of Berry Hill and concludes at I-24 in eight miles near the Woodbine neighborhood. 01/15/19

I-40 east at I-440 - Nashville, TN

Interstate 40 turns northeast from the three-wye interchange (Exit 206) with I-440 toward Tennessee State University, Hadley Park and Osage. I-440 curves southward to the Richland-West End, Hillsboro-West End and Battlemont neighborhoods. 01/15/19

I-40 West at I-440

I-40 west at I-440 - Nashville, TN

Westbound I-40 turns south from 28th Avenue N at Hadley Park to Interstate 440 near Sylvan Heights. Photo by Carter Buchanan (06/11/17).

I-40 west at I-440 - Nashville, TN

Westbound I-40 expands to four lanes leading into the exchange (Exit 206) with Interstate 440. 09/07/20

I-40 west at I-440 - Nashville, TN

Interstate 40 turns back to the west from I-440 en route to the city of Jackson in 126 miles. Interstate 440 arcs southeast through residential areas west of Vanderbuilt University and I-65 at the city of Berry Hill. 09/07/20

I-440 West End Throwback

I-440 west at I-40 - 2003

The original concrete roadway for I-440 westbound leading toward I-40 from the West End Park neighborhood. Photo by Chris Patriarca (05/18/03).

I-440 west at I-40 - 2003

Arrow per lane signs replaced diagrammatic overheads for the west end of I-440. Photo by Chris Patriarca (05/18/03).

I-40 east at I-440 - 2003

A fourth lane was added along Interstate 40 eastbound to I-440 at Exit 206. Photo by Chris Patriarca (05/18/03).

1995 photo of I-40 east at Interstate 440 in Nashville

Interstate 40 east a half mile from the split with I-440 in Nashville. 05/29/95

  1. “Bygone Days – Aug. 13.” Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN), August 13, 2004.
  2. “Interstate 440 turns 25 with a history of successes and setbacks.” The City Paper (Nashville, TN), August 7, 2011.
  3. “I-440 eastbound to be closed 10 weekends into fall.” Associated Press State Wire: Tennessee (TN), June 24, 2013.
  4. “Construction complete on Interstate 440, largest project in TDOT history.” WJHL TV-11 (Nashville, TN), June 25, 2020.
  5. “I-440 Project in Nashville Wraps Ahead of Schedule.” Transport Topics (Arlington, VA), July 7, 2020.

Page updated January 27, 2024.