As part of the I-75/I-24 interchange modification project in Hamilton County, TDOT contract crews will implement a major traffic shift that will take an entire weekend to complete and necessitate the closure of the ramp from I-75 North to I-24 West within the area of the split. From 9 p.m. on Friday evening, Oct. 23 to 6 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 26, those traveling from I-75 North to I-24 West will be detoured to Exit 3-A East Brainerd Road, where they will be directed to re-enter the interstate via I-75 South to I-24 West. This detour will add an additional five miles to the movement. Heavy congestion is expected.
This detour will also alter the traffic flow on East Brainerd Road and Hickory Valley Road. To allow crews to install and remove the detour, lane restrictions on these roads will be in place from Thursday night, Oct. 22 at 9 p.m. to Tuesday morning, Oct. 27 at 6 a.m. All local traffic on East Brainerd Road will be shifted to the westbound lanes. Those traveling westbound (toward Brainerd Road) on East Brainerd Road will have access to I-75 North only. Those traveling eastbound (toward Gunbarrel Road) on East Brainerd Road will not have access to I 75 in either direction. Traffic on Hickory Valley Road will have right-in / right-out access only at East Brainerd Road.
Additionally, the I-75 North on-ramps from US 41/Ringgold Road at Exit 1 will be closed at 9 p.m. on Friday evening, Oct. 23 until 6 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 26, and traffic will be detoured to alternate routes to access either I-75 or I-24 at other locations. Due to low height restrictions at the tunnels on US 41/Ringgold Road west of the Exit 1 interchange, truck traffic will be prohibited from using the tunnels as an alternate route.
The Tennessee Welcome Center on I-75 North will also be closed to all traffic during the same time period. For more on the traffic shift, access the video link here.
The weekend lane closures will allow contract crews to work around the clock and make connections critical to the project. Message boards will be in place to mark closures and detours, while TDOT personnel, contract crews and law enforcement will be stationed throughout the work zone. The speed limit through the work zone will remain reduced at 45 miles per hour. Once this work is completed, motorists traveling through the interchange will notice a traffic shift along some of the ramps.
The schedule for this work is contingent on the contractor completing all preparatory construction work beforehand, and it is also weather dependent. Should preparation issues or inclement weather delay this work, it will be rescheduled to take place on the first available weekend thereafter.
C.W. Matthews Contracting Co., Inc. is the contractor for the $132.6 million I-75 / I-24 interchange modification project, which is slated for completion in late summer 2021. For more information on the project or to sign up for project updates, visit the project website.