The Tennessee Department of Transportation hosted a public meeting on Tuesday to gather community input on a proposed project that would widen approximately 10 miles of I-24 from the I-24/I-59 interchange in Dade County, Ga., to near I-124 (US-27) in downtown Chattanooga.
The meeting was held in an open house format, allowing residents to review displays, ask questions, and provide feedback on the preliminary project plans. The widening project would add one additional travel lane in each direction, expanding I-24 from four to six total lanes throughout the corridor. Each side would feature three 12-foot travel lanes with 12-foot inside and outside shoulders. Most construction would occur within existing right-of-way, though TDOT may need to acquire additional property in certain areas.
TDOT has divided the project into three segments: Segment 1 runs approximately 2.5 miles from near I-59 to the Tennessee-Georgia state line; Segment 2 covers about 4.7 miles from the state line to east of Browns Ferry Road; and Segment 3 spans roughly 2.6 miles from east of Browns Ferry Road to near I-124 (US-27).
The project also includes replacing or improving six sets of side-by-side bridges in Tennessee and one set in Georgia.
Along the first two segments, I-24 would be widened toward the inside median with guardrails and barrier walls as needed.
The third segment would expand mostly to the south with barriers and retaining walls along the eastbound shoulder.
According to TDOT officials, this section of I-24 is currently operating at or near capacity, with passenger and freight traffic volumes projected to increase substantially by 2047. The agency's analysis indicates the corridor would experience further deterioration of traffic flow without intervention. Several bridges within the corridor are also in fair or poor condition, creating additional structural concerns.
The project aims to reduce congestion, improve traffic operations, and address structural deficiencies to meet current TDOT design standards. A secondary benefit includes improved freight movement through the region. Because the project uses federal transportation dollars, it must comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). TDOT and the Federal Highway Administration are preparing an Environmental Assessment to identify and evaluate environmental effects and minimize potential harm.
Environmental technical studies currently under development include analyses of traffic operations and safety, noise impacts, land use, cultural resources, farmland, recreational resources, relocations, natural resources, multimodal transportation infrastructure, visual impacts, socioeconomic resources, hazardous materials, and air quality.
TDOT is evaluating two alternatives: the No-Build Alternative, which would maintain existing configurations with only routine maintenance and approved modifications, and the Build Alternative, which includes the lane additions and bridge improvements.
The current proposal builds on years of planning and study. Between 2012 and 2014, TDOT completed the I-24 Multimodal Corridor Study, identifying solutions for problem areas along the entire I-24 corridor within Tennessee. In 2018, the agency completed a more detailed Technical Report focusing specifically on this project area.
The project gained momentum when Governor Bill Lee signed the Transportation Modernization Act into law in 2023, increasing transportation infrastructure funding available to TDOT. The I-24 widening was subsequently included in TDOT's 10-Year Project Plan.
Additionally in 2024, TDOT completed a Traffic Operations and Safety Analysis to provide updated information for the NEPA review process.TDOT officially initiated the NEPA process in January 2025 and began environmental technical studies around the same time.
Following the public meeting, TDOT will complete environmental technical studies and draft the Environmental Assessment. The agency expects to release the EA for public review in late 2025 or early 2026, followed by public hearings in early 2026. Right-of-way authorization is anticipated in late 2026, with construction scheduled to begin in 2027. However, all dates are subject to change based on the environmental review process and other factors.
TDOT does not currently anticipate requiring relocation assistance, but if needed, persons impacted by the project will be eligible for services such as moving expenses and replacement housing benefits for owners and tenants administered under federal and state regulations. Property owners will be offered fair market value for their property rights, with independent real estate appraisers preparing written appraisals using actual sales data from surrounding communities.
TDOT is accepting public comments for 21 days following the July 8 meeting, with submissions received or postmarked by August 1, 2025.
Residents can submit comments through multiple channels, including online forms, email, phone, or mail. The public will have additional opportunities to provide input during the NEPA Public Hearing scheduled for early 2026, when the completed Environmental Assessment and recommended Preferred Alternative will be presented.
Another public meeting on Thursday at 5 p.m. at the John A. Patten Community Center in Lookout Valley.
For more information about the project or to submit comments, visit the TDOT website at https://www.tn.gov/tdot/projects/region-2/interstate-24.html or contact the project team directly.