Annual average daily traffic ( AADT ) is a measure used primarily in transportation planning , transportation engineering and retail location selection . Traditionally, it is the total volume of vehicle traffic of a highway or road for a year divided by 365 days. AADT is a simple, but useful, measurement of how busy the road is.
185-798: Interstate 40 ( I-40 ) is part of the Interstate Highway System that runs 2,556.61 miles (4,114.46 km) from Barstow, California , to Wilmington, North Carolina . The highway crosses Tennessee from west to east, from the Mississippi River at the Arkansas border to the Blue Ridge Mountains at the North Carolina border. At 455.28 miles (732.70 km), the Tennessee segment of I-40
370-481: A 1971 U.S. Supreme Court case which established the modern process of judicial review of infrastructure projects. Community opposition to the highway's proposed routing through Overton Park led to a nearly-25-year activist campaign which culminated in the case. This resulted in the state abandoning the highway's original alignment and relocating it onto what was originally a section of I-240. I-40 runs for 455.28 miles (732.70 km) through Tennessee , making it
555-535: A concurrency or overlap. For example, I‑75 and I‑85 share the same roadway in Atlanta ; this 7.4-mile (11.9 km) section, called the Downtown Connector , is labeled both I‑75 and I‑85. Concurrencies between Interstate and US Highway numbers are also allowed in accordance with AASHTO policy, as long as the length of the concurrency is reasonable. In rare instances, two highway designations sharing
740-539: A 1945 plan which recommended that a number of expressways be constructed in Knoxville to relieve congestion on surface streets. Planners intended these highways to be integrated into the proposed nationwide highway network that became the Interstate Highway System , which was expected to be authorized by Congress. The highway's location and design was finalized in a 1948 plan, and construction began on October 1, 1951. The first segment, between Unaka Street and Tulip Avenue,
925-651: A 28-year-old brevet lieutenant colonel, accompanied the trip "through darkest America with truck and tank," as he later described it. Some roads in the West were a "succession of dust, ruts, pits, and holes." As the landmark 1916 law expired, new legislation was passed—the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1921 (Phipps Act). This new road construction initiative once again provided for federal matching funds for road construction and improvement, $ 75 million allocated annually. Moreover, this new legislation for
1110-528: A TDOT commissioner who served from 1987 until his death in 1992. The "Samuel T. Rayburn Memorial Bridge" over the Clinch River is named for a Texas congressman who was the longest serving Speaker of the US House of Representatives . The Holston River bridge is named for both Ralph K. Adcock and Bid Anderson , two state representatives from the area. The "Frances Burnett Swann Memorial Bridge" across
1295-476: A change in the numbering system as a result of a new policy adopted in 1973. Previously, letter-suffixed numbers were used for long spurs off primary routes; for example, western I‑84 was I‑80N, as it went north from I‑80 . The new policy stated, "No new divided numbers (such as I-35W and I-35E , etc.) shall be adopted." The new policy also recommended that existing divided numbers be eliminated as quickly as possible; however, an I-35W and I-35E still exist in
1480-517: A complex four-level stack interchange with US 64 / 70 / 79 (Summer Avenue) and the eastern ends of I-240 and Sam Cooper Boulevard ; a pair of overpasses carries its traffic northeast. Entering a straightaway, the Interstate crosses the Wolf River for a third (and final) time; over the next several miles, it passes through the suburban neighborhoods of East Memphis and Cordova and
1665-537: A connector road to US 41 /70S (Murfreesboro Road) are accessible from the westbound lanes of I-40 at this interchange. Entering the Donelson neighborhood, I-40 intersects SR 155 (Briley Parkway) near Nashville International Airport . Beginning here, the left lanes are HOV lanes during rush hour. A partial exit accesses an airport connector road; immediately beyond is a second airport access road at SR 255 (Donelson Pike). Shifting northeast, I-40 crosses
1850-483: A connector to US 11 / 70 and Papermill Road, which had an average daily traffic volume of 218,583 vehicles in 2022. The lowest daily traffic volume that year was 26,985 vehicles at the North Carolina state line. The busiest weigh station in the country is on I-40/I-75 in Farragut , a suburb of Knoxville, which serves more than 2.4 million trucks annually. I-40 enters Tennessee from Arkansas in
2035-644: A descent from the Cumberland Plateau to the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians , also known as the Tennessee Valley or Great Valley of East Tennessee. On the descent, the eastbound speed limit drops to 60 mph (97 km/h). The highway hugs the slopes of the plateau's Walden Ridge escarpment for several miles, containing what the geologist Harry Moore called "dramatic views" of the Tennessee Valley, before reaching
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#17328024867722220-478: A direct east–west alignment via the six-lane Hernando de Soto Bridge , a tied-arch bridge which spans the Mississippi River and has a total length of about 1.8 miles (2.9 km). Entering the city of Memphis (Tennessee's second-largest city), the Interstate crosses the southern half of Mud Island before crossing the Wolf River Harbor and Mississippi Alluvial Plain into Downtown Memphis , where
2405-423: A few miles later. I-40 then widens to eight lanes, and has a four-level interchange with SR 155 (Briley Parkway, White Bridge Road) which includes the western terminus of a northern controlled-access beltway around Nashville. South of Tennessee State University is the western terminus of I-440 , the southern loop around central Nashville, where I-40 goes down to six lanes. The highway briefly passes through
2590-471: A group of older women called "little old ladies in tennis shoes" by media outlets began a campaign to halt construction. The organizers collected over 10,000 signatures, and founded Citizens to Preserve Overton Park in 1957. The movement was also backed by environmentalists , who feared that the Interstate's construction would upset the park's ecological balance; the wooded area had become an important stopover for migratory birds . The organization filed
2775-817: A lawsuit in the US District Court for the Western District of Tennessee in December 1969 after the Secretary of Transportation John A. Volpe authorized the state to solicit bids the previous month. The suit was dismissed on February 26, 1970, by Judge Bailey Brown , which was subsequently upheld by the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals on September 29, 1970. The case was then appealed to the US Supreme Court , which reversed
2960-686: A mix of level farmland and swamplands, I-40 enters Jackson beyond this point and crosses the South Fork of the Forked Deer River . Passing through northern Jackson, the Interstate widens to six lanes and has six urban interchanges. In quick succession, the highway intersects US 412 , which connects to Alamo and Dyersburg ; the US ;45 Bypass (US 45 Byp.); and US 45 (North Highland Avenue), which also provides access to Humboldt and Milan . The Interstate passes through
3145-542: A monument at the Smith County Rest Area that lists the names of each TDOT worker killed in the line of duty since 1948 was dedicated. Several major bridges on I-40 also have honorary names. The "Hernando de Soto Bridge" is named for the 16th century Spanish explorer and conquistador who was the first European to cross the Mississippi River. The "Jimmy Mann Evans Memorial Bridge" is named for
3330-595: A national road grid with the passage of the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1921 . In 1926, the United States Numbered Highway System was established, creating the first national road numbering system for cross-country travel. The roads were state-funded and maintained, and there were few national standards for road design. United States Numbered Highways ranged from two-lane country roads to multi-lane freeways. After Dwight D. Eisenhower became president in 1953, his administration developed
3515-589: A numbering scheme in which primary Interstates are assigned one- or two-digit numbers, and shorter routes which branch off of longer ones are assigned three-digit numbers where the last two digits match the parent route. The Interstate Highway System is partially financed through the Highway Trust Fund , which itself is funded by a combination of a federal fuel tax and transfers from the Treasury's general fund. Though federal legislation initially banned
3700-404: A predominantly-residential area, passing Zoo Knoxville , and reaches an interchange with US 11W (Rutledge Pike). The Interstate then reaches the eastern terminus of I-640, shifting eastward and beginning a brief, unsigned concurrency with US 25W and SR 9 . These routes split off at an interchange with US 11E /70 (Asheville Highway). Leaving Knoxville, the Interstate crosses
3885-491: A proposal for an interstate highway system, eventually resulting in the enactment of the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 . Unlike the earlier United States Numbered Highway System, the interstates were designed to be all freeways, with nationally unified standards for construction and signage. While some older freeways were adopted into the system, most of the routes were completely new. In dense urban areas,
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#17328024867724070-559: A report called Toll Roads and Free Roads , "the first formal description of what became the Interstate Highway System" and, in 1944, the similarly themed Interregional Highways . The Interstate Highway System gained a champion in President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who was influenced by his experiences as a young Army officer crossing the country in the 1919 Motor Transport Corps convoy that drove in part on
4255-545: A residential area and reaches US 70, which connects to Huntingdon . I-40 then shrinks back to four lanes. The highway continues east-northeast through farmland and woodlands with low, rolling hills. After entering Henderson County , I-40 crosses the Middle Fork of the Forked Deer River . It intersects SR 22 , a major north–south corridor in West Tennessee which accesses Lexington and Huntington, near
4440-582: A ridge, the Interstates have a long straightaway and pass through the Knoxville suburb of Farragut . The road widens to eight lanes at SR 131 (Lovell Road) and intersects the Pellissippi Parkway (SR 162 northbound, I-140 eastbound), which connects to Oak Ridge and Maryville respectively. Proceeding through West Knoxville , the two routes intersect local roads before reaching a connector to US 11 / 70 ( Kingston Pike ) near
4625-406: A short count on a road segment at a minimum of every three years. There are many methods used to calculate an AADT from a short-term count, but most methods attempt to remove seasonal and day-of-week biases during the collection period by applying factors created from associated continuous counters. Short counts are taken either by state agencies, local government, or contractors. For the years when
4810-658: A short distance with an eastbound truck-climbing lane. Along this ascent is an interchange with SR 96 , which connects to the Nashville suburbs of Fairview and Franklin . The Interstate enters Cheatham County a few miles later, and gradually descends into the Nashville Basin . It then passes the towns of Kingston Springs and Pegram , and crosses the Harpeth River twice in quick succession. Around milepost 191, I-40 enters Davidson County and crosses
4995-409: A single digit prefixed to the two-digit number of its parent Interstate Highway. Spur routes deviate from their parent and do not return; these are given an odd first digit. Circumferential and radial loop routes return to the parent, and are given an even first digit. Unlike primary Interstates, three-digit Interstates are signed as either east–west or north–south, depending on the general orientation of
5180-801: A speed limit of 45 mph (70 km/h) because it is a parkway that consists of only one lane per side of the highway. On the other hand, Interstates 15, 80, 84, and 215 in Utah have speed limits as high as 70 mph (115 km/h) within the Wasatch Front , Cedar City , and St. George areas, and I-25 in New Mexico within the Santa Fe and Las Vegas areas along with I-20 in Texas along Odessa and Midland and I-29 in North Dakota along
5365-460: A speed limit of 80 mph (130 km/h). Other Interstates in Idaho, Montana, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Wyoming also have the same high speed limits. In some areas, speed limits on Interstates can be significantly lower in areas where they traverse significantly hazardous areas. The maximum speed limit on I-90 is 50 mph (80 km/h) in downtown Cleveland because of two sharp curves with
5550-524: A steep, approximately five-mile (8.0 km) ascent onto the Cumberland Plateau , reaching an elevation of nearly 2,000 feet (610 m) at the top. The speed limit along this section reduces to 65 mph (105 km/h) – 55 mph (89 km/h) for trucks on the westbound descent. The Interstate then continues through a wooded area before reaching Monterey and turning southeast. Here it has two interchanges with US 70N,
5735-474: A suggested limit of 35 mph (55 km/h) in a heavily congested area; I-70 through Wheeling, West Virginia , has a maximum speed limit of 45 mph (70 km/h) through the Wheeling Tunnel and most of downtown Wheeling; and I-68 has a maximum speed limit of 40 mph (65 km/h) through Cumberland, Maryland , because of multiple hazards including sharp curves and narrow lanes through
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5920-721: A traffic count is not recorded, the AADT is often estimated by applying a factor called the Growth Factor. Growth Factors are statistically determined from historical data of the road segment. If there is no historical data, Growth Factors from similar road segments are used. The 1992 Edition of the AASHTO Guidelines is out of date. The current edition is from 2018. The Gary Davis article was published in Transportation Research Record 1593, 1997.
6105-690: Is "from the eastern boundary of Davidson County to the Mississippi River in Shelby County ", a distance of about 222 miles (357 km). It commemorates the roles played by Memphis, Nashville, and the areas in between in the development of American popular music . Memphis is known as "the Home of the Blues and the Birthplace of Rock and Roll ", and Nashville is known as "Music City" for its influence on country music . Several cities and towns between
6290-543: Is also commonly believed the Interstate Highway System was built for the sole purpose of evacuating cities in the event of nuclear warfare . While military motivations were present, the primary motivations were civilian. The numbering scheme for the Interstate Highway System was developed in 1957 by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). The association's present numbering policy dates back to August 10, 1973. Within
6475-703: Is an interchange with SR 53 in Gordonsville and near Carthage . Between mileposts 263 and 266, the highway crosses the meandering Caney Fork River five times before entering Putnam County . I-40 then again intersects SR 96 in Buffalo Valley , where it shifts southeast and begins climbing out of the Nashville Basin onto the Eastern Highland Rim. The moderately-steep grade is about four miles (6.4 km) long. Near
6660-622: Is at exit 35, which provides access to Covington and Somerville . The highway enters Haywood County near the site of Ford Motor Company 's Blue Oval City manufacturing facility. Beyond this point, it turns north and enters Hatchie National Wildlife Refuge ; the highway crosses the Hatchie River and a number of streams and swamps in a long straightaway. I-40 turns east after the refuge and passes southeast of Brownsville , where it intersects SR 76 , SR 19 , and US 70. The highway then enters Madison County . Crossing
6845-506: Is called continuous count data collection method. This method includes sensors that are permanently embedded into a road and traffic data is measured for the entire 365 days. The AADT is the sum of the total traffic for the entire year divided by 365 days. There can be problems with calculating the AADT with this method. For example, if the continuous count equipment is not operating for the full 365 days due to maintenance or repair. Because of this issue, seasonal or day-of-week biases might skew
7030-419: Is one of Tennessee's busiest non-Interstate exits. Gradually turning northeast, the highway enters Jefferson County . After a gradual ascent of about five miles (8.0 km), the highway intersects US 25W/70 near Dandridge , where SR 66 also splits off. It then enters northern Dandridge, where it meets SR 92 . I-40 intersects the southern terminus of I-81 , which runs into northeast Tennessee to
7215-436: Is related to the total traffic measured across its highway network. Each year on June 15, every state's department of transportation (DOT) submits a Highway Performance Monitoring System (HPMS) report. The HPMS report contains various information regarding the road segments in the state based on a sample (not all of the road segments) of the road segments. In the report, the AADT is converted to vehicle miles traveled (VMT). VMT
7400-599: Is the AADT multiplied by the length of the road segment. To determine the amount of traffic a state has, the AADT cannot be summed for all road segments since an AADT is a rate. The VMT is summed and is used as an indicator of the amount of traffic a state has. For federal funding, formulas are applied to include the VMT and other highway statistics. In the United Kingdom , AADT is one of a number of measures of traffic used by local highway authorities, National Highways , and
7585-730: Is the longest of the eight states through which it passes and the state's longest Interstate Highway. I-40 passes through Tennessee's three largest cities— Memphis , Nashville , and Knoxville —and serves the Great Smoky Mountains National Park , the most-visited national park in the United States. It crosses all of Tennessee's physiographic regions and Grand Divisions —the Mississippi embayment and Gulf Coastal Plain in West Tennessee ,
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7770-405: Is the standard measurement for vehicle traffic load on a section of road, and the basis for some decisions regarding transport planning , or to the environmental hazards of pollution related to road transport. One of the most important uses of AADT is for determining funding for the maintenance and improvement of highways. In the United States, the amount of federal funding a state will receive
7955-480: Is to have the highway route extend from Tamaulipas , Mexico to Ontario , Canada. The planned I-11 will then bridge the Interstate gap between Phoenix, Arizona and Las Vegas, Nevada , and thus form part of the CANAMEX Corridor (along with I-19 , and portions of I-10 and I-15 ) between Sonora , Mexico and Alberta , Canada. Political opposition from residents canceled many freeway projects around
8140-691: The Cumberland and Tennessee river watersheds meet, at mile marker 308. The Interstate reaches Crossville , where it crosses the Obed River , about 10 miles (16 km) later. This city has three interchanges, including one with US 127 to Jamestown . East of Crossville, the Crab Orchard Mountains (the southern range of the Cumberland Mountains ) come into view; the road descends several hundred feet, and
8325-474: The Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex in Texas, and an I-35W and I-35E that run through Minneapolis and Saint Paul , Minnesota, still exist. Additionally, due to Congressional requirements, three sections of I-69 in southern Texas will be divided into I-69W , I-69E , and I-69C (for Central). AASHTO policy allows dual numbering to provide continuity between major control points. This is referred to as
8510-512: The Department for Transport to forecast maintenance needs and expenditure. To measure AADT on individual road segments, traffic data is collected by an automated traffic counter , hiring an observer to record traffic or licensing estimated counts from GPS data providers. There are two different techniques of measuring the AADTs for road segments with automated traffic counters. One technique
8695-552: The Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956 into law. Under the act, the federal government would pay for 90 percent of the cost of construction of Interstate Highways. Each Interstate Highway was required to be a freeway with at least four lanes and no at-grade crossings. The publication in 1955 of the General Location of National System of Interstate Highways , informally known as the Yellow Book , mapped out what became
8880-630: The Grand Forks area have higher speed limits of 75 mph (120 km/h). As one of the components of the National Highway System , Interstate Highways improve the mobility of military troops to and from airports, seaports, rail terminals, and other military bases. Interstate Highways also connect to other roads that are a part of the Strategic Highway Network , a system of roads identified as critical to
9065-671: The Highland Rim and Nashville Basin in Middle Tennessee , and the Cumberland Plateau , Cumberland Mountains , Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians , and Blue Ridge Mountains in East Tennessee . Landscapes on the route vary from flat, level plains and swamplands in the west to irregular rolling hills, cavernous limestone bluffs, and deep river gorges in the central part of the state, to plateau tablelands , broad river valleys, narrow mountain passes, and mountain peaks in
9250-701: The Holston River . Continuing east as a six-lane highway, I-40 travels through Strawberry Plains before entering Sevier County several miles later. Near Kodak is Exit 407 with SR 66 and the northern terminus of the Great Smoky Mountains Parkway , where the Interstate begins an unsigned concurrency with the former. This interchange is the primary access to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and tourist attractions in Sevierville , Pigeon Forge , and Gatlinburg , and
9435-802: The Interstate Highway System , or the Eisenhower Interstate System , is a network of controlled-access highways that forms part of the National Highway System in the United States . The system extends throughout the contiguous United States and has routes in Hawaii , Alaska , and Puerto Rico . In the 20th century, the United States Congress began funding roadways through the Federal Aid Road Act of 1916 , and started an effort to construct
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#17328024867729620-478: The Jefferson Street community in western Nashville, a predominantly Black neighborhood which contains three historically Black colleges and was home to a large African American middle class in the early-to-mid-20th century. Planners considered placing this section near Vanderbilt University , but settled on the current alignment by the mid-1950s. Before construction began, many residents believed that
9805-504: The Jefferson Street neighborhood before entering downtown Nashville near Fisk University , where it begins a brief concurrency with I-65 and turns southeast. As part of the Inner Loop encircling downtown Nashville, the two concurrent Interstates have interchanges in quick succession with US 70 (Charlotte Avenue), US 70S/ 431 (Broadway), Church Street, and Demonbreun Street. Next they shift east-northeast near Music Row and
9990-402: The Lincoln Highway , the first road across America. He recalled that, "The old convoy had started me thinking about good two-lane highways... the wisdom of broader ribbons across our land." Eisenhower also gained an appreciation of the Reichsautobahn system, the first "national" implementation of modern Germany's Autobahn network, as a necessary component of a national defense system while he
10175-415: The Piney River . Several miles beyond this point is an interchange with SR 46 , the primary exit for Dickson, which also provides access to Centerville and Columbia . Near the town of Burns , I-40 reaches the western terminus of I-840 , the outer southern beltway around Nashville. The highway continues through woodlands and rugged terrain and, crossing into Williamson County , ascends steeply for
10360-484: The Stones River near J. Percy Priest Dam . Entering the southern fringes of the Hermitage neighborhood, the highway meets Old Hickory Boulevard again at an interchange with SR 45 and once again shifts eastward into a straightaway. I-40 enters Wilson County and then has an interchange with SR 171 in the suburb of Mount Juliet . Entering another long straightaway, the highway intersects SR 109 after some distance, which provides access to Gallatin to
10545-414: The Tri-Cities of Bristol , Kingsport , and Johnson City . Here, I-40 reduces to four lanes and turns 90 degrees southeast. Beginning a moderate descent, the highway crosses the Douglas Lake reservoir of the French Broad River a few miles later and enters Cocke County after a gradual climb. Near Newport is an interchange with US 25W/70, near the northern terminus of US 411 . Traversing
10730-444: The US Department of Defense . The system has also been used to facilitate evacuations in the face of hurricanes and other natural disasters. An option for maximizing traffic throughput on a highway is to reverse the flow of traffic on one side of a divider so that all lanes become outbound lanes. This procedure, known as contraflow lane reversal , has been employed several times for hurricane evacuations. After public outcry regarding
10915-411: The US Highways , which increase from east to west and north to south). This numbering system usually holds true even if the local direction of the route does not match the compass directions. Numbers divisible by five are intended to be major arteries among the primary routes, carrying traffic long distances. Primary north–south Interstates increase in number from I-5 between Canada and Mexico along
11100-437: The West Coast to I‑95 between Canada and Miami, Florida along the East Coast . Major west–east arterial Interstates increase in number from I-10 between Santa Monica, California , and Jacksonville, Florida , to I-90 between Seattle, Washington , and Boston, Massachusetts , with two exceptions. There are no I-50 and I-60, as routes with those numbers would likely pass through states that currently have US Highways with
11285-496: The West Hills neighborhood. An interchange with SR 332 (Northshore Drive) and Papermill and Weisgarber Roads follows. The routes reach the western terminus of I-640 , a beltway which bypasses downtown to the north, two miles (3.2 km) later. Here I-75 splits off from I-40 onto a brief concurrency with I-640 to Lexington, Kentucky . The Interstate then enters downtown Knoxville with six through lanes and several short segments of auxiliary lanes between exits. Passing near
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#173280248677211470-430: The civil rights leader who was assassinated there in 1968 . The stretch in eastern Shelby County was named "Isaac Hayes Memorial Highway" in 2010 after a singer-songwriter who was one of the creative forces behind Stax Records in Memphis. The stretch between Nashville and Crossville was named "Senator Tommy Burks Memorial Highway" in 1999 after a state senator who was assassinated the previous year and commonly drove
11655-418: The 0.5-mile (800 m) Jimmy Mann Evans Memorial Bridge into Middle Tennessee . Crossing the Tennessee River into Humphreys County , I-40 exits the refuge after a few miles and traverses vast woodlands in the rugged hills of the Western Highland Rim . This section is characterized by several ascents and descents, with the route roughly following a crooked stream valley. About six miles (10 km) beyond
11840-505: The 16.5-mile (26.6 km) segment joining SR 56 near Silver Point and US 70N in Cookeville saw its first traffic. The segment from US 70S in Bellevue and US 70 in western Nashville opened on November 15, 1962. In Memphis, the segment between I-240/Sam Cooper Boulevard and US 64/70/79 – then part of I-240 – was dedicated on October 9, 1963, by Governor Frank G. Clement and opened to traffic 14 days later. That same month, contracts for
12025-449: The 31-mile (50 km) segment opened between the Clinch River bridge in Kingston and Papermill Road in Knoxville. On October 31, 1962, the section connecting SR 113 near Dandridge and US 25W/70 in Newport opened. The first section of I-40 in Middle Tennessee to be completed was the 14.5-mile (23.3 km) stretch from SR 96 in Williamson County and US 70S in Bellevue, which opened on November 1, 1962. The following day,
12210-491: The AADWs are averaged to calculate an AADT. The United States Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has adopted this method as the preferred method in the FHWA Traffic Monitoring Guide. While providing the most accurate AADT, installing and maintaining continuous count stations method is costly. Most public agencies are only able to monitor a very small percentage of the roadway using this method. Most AADTs are generated using short-term data collection methods sometimes known as
12395-413: The Broadway of America auto trail linking California and New York in the late 1920s. The first segment included in Tennessee's I-40 was a 1.09-mile-long (1.75 km) controlled-access highway in Knoxville, the state's first, which was constructed by state and local governments. Known initially as the Magnolia Avenue Expressway and later renamed the Frank Regas Expressway, the highway originated from
12580-402: The Congress Hotel in Chicago. In the plan, Mehren proposed a 50,000-mile (80,000 km) system, consisting of five east–west routes and 10 north–south routes. The system would include two percent of all roads and would pass through every state at a cost of $ 25,000 per mile ($ 16,000/km), providing commercial as well as military transport benefits. In 1919, the US Army sent an expedition across
12765-404: The Decatur– Benton county line. About six miles (10 km) later, the Interstate descends about 300 feet (100 m) on a steep grade over one mile (1.6 km) into the Western Valley of the Tennessee River ; the westbound lanes have a truck- climbing lane . Entering Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge at the bottom of the grade, I-40 crosses Kentucky Lake , a Tennessee River reservoir, on
12950-429: The French Broad River was designated in 1963 for the wife of Alfred Swann , who served in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War . Before the settlement of Tennessee by European Americans , a series of Native American trails existed in what is now the I-40 corridor. The Cumberland Trace (also known as Tollunteeskee's Trail) was a Cherokee trail which passed through the central Cumberland Plateau , and
13135-440: The Harpeth River for the third time a few miles later. Entering the urbanized parts of the Nashville metropolitan area , the Interstate widens to six lanes near Bellevue . The highway enters the outskirts of Nashville, the state capital and Tennessee's largest city, and intersects US 70S near a bend in the Cumberland River . It then reaches Old Hickory Boulevard ( SR 251 ) and intersects US 70 (Charlotte Avenue)
13320-515: The Interstate Highway System. Assisting in the planning was Charles Erwin Wilson , who was still head of General Motors when President Eisenhower selected him as Secretary of Defense in January 1953. Some sections of highways that became part of the Interstate Highway System actually began construction earlier. Three states have claimed the title of first Interstate Highway. Missouri claims that
13505-493: The Interstate Highway program. The Interstates of Alaska and Puerto Rico are numbered sequentially in order of funding without regard to the rules on odd and even numbers. They also carry the prefixes A and PR , respectively. However, these highways are signed according to their local designations, not their Interstate Highway numbers. Furthermore, these routes were neither planned according to nor constructed to
13690-490: The Interstate would lead to the economic decline of their neighborhood and divide it from the rest of the city. Some also believed that the routing was an act of racial discrimination , and criticized the state for a lack of transparency about its plans. In October 1967, several residents of Jefferson Street formed the I-40 Steering Committee and filed a lawsuit against the state in the US District Court for
13875-599: The Memphis area opened on September 15, 1997, on the 7.5-mile (12.1 km) section between I-240 and US 64 in Bartlett with the completion of a project widening the section from four to eight lanes. The cancellation of the section of I-40 through Overton Park rendered both interchanges with I-240 inadequate to handle the unplanned traffic patterns, necessitating their reconstruction; both interchanges also contained ramps with hazardously sharp curves. The eastern interchange
14060-470: The Middle District of Tennessee in the hope forcing a reroute of the Interstate. Judge Frank Gray Jr. ruled against the committee on November 2, saying that there was no feasible alternate route. Gray conceded, however, that the methods used by the state to notify residents about the project were unsatisfactory and the route would have an adverse effect on their community. The organization appealed
14245-534: The Midtown interchange with I-240 (then I-255), opened on July 14 of that year. Work on the final segment between Memphis and Knoxville, approximately 5.5 miles (8.9 km) from the interchange with I-65 to the western split with I-24 southeast of downtown Nashville (including the concurrency with I-65), began in May 1969 and opened on March 3, 1972. This completed all of I-40 from Memphis to SR 299, near Rockwood, and
14430-583: The Mississippi River until an extension of I-75 in Florida was authorized by the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1968 . The first design contract for I-40 in Tennessee was awarded on March 4, 1956, for a short section in Davidson County . Within a year, design contracts had been awarded for sections in Davidson, Knox , Roane , Haywood , Madison , Jefferson , and Cocke counties. By 1958, design work
14615-587: The Pigeon River Gorge in Cocke County into North Carolina was initially believed by some engineers to be impossible to build and was among the nation's most difficult and laborious highway projects, requiring thousands of tons of earth and rock to be moved. It was one of the most expensive highway construction projects per mile, at a cost of $ 19 million (equivalent to $ 127 million in 2023). Work began in 1961; grading and bridge construction
14800-776: The Pigeon River or the French Broad River to the north. Surveys for both routes were authorized in 1945, and the first survey for the former was made in 1948. After additional studies, the North Carolina Highway Commission recommended the Pigeon River gorge route in 1955; this was approved by the Bureau of Public Roads (predecessor to the Federal Highway Administration ) on April 12, 1956. The Tennessee leg of I-40
14985-918: The US to determine the difficulties that military vehicles would have on a cross-country trip. Leaving from the Ellipse near the White House on July 7, the Motor Transport Corps convoy needed 62 days to drive 3,200 miles (5,100 km) on the Lincoln Highway to the Presidio of San Francisco along the Golden Gate . The convoy suffered many setbacks and problems on the route, such as poor-quality bridges, broken crankshafts, and engines clogged with desert sand. Dwight Eisenhower , then
15170-631: The United States, including: In addition to cancellations, removals of freeways are planned: The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) has defined a set of standards that all new Interstates must meet unless a waiver from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is obtained. One almost absolute standard is the controlled access nature of the roads. With few exceptions , traffic lights (and cross traffic in general) are limited to toll booths and ramp meters (metered flow control for lane merging during rush hour ). Being freeways , Interstate Highways usually have
15355-481: The act was signed, and paving started September 26, 1956. The state marked its portion of I-70 as the first project in the United States completed under the provisions of the new Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956. The Pennsylvania Turnpike could also be considered one of the first Interstate Highways, and is nicknamed "Grandfather of the Interstate System". On October 1, 1940, 162 miles (261 km) of
15540-546: The base of the plateau about 800 feet (240 m) below. I-40 then shifts eastward between Harriman and Rockwood , interchanging with US 27 . The highway then crosses a series of parallel ridges and valleys characteristic of the region's topography. It intersects SR 29 and crosses the Clinch River , with the Kingston Fossil Plant and its 1,000-foot (300 m) twin smokestacks dominating
15725-403: The bottom of the Mississippi River via a pipeline . Contracts for this work were let in May and July 1974. Dredging and fill work was complete by the end of 1977, and the section was opened to traffic by Governor Lamar Alexander on March 28, 1980. I-40 was originally planned to pass through Overton Park in Memphis, a 342-acre (138 ha) public park. This location was announced in 1955, and
15910-477: The bridge ends next to the Memphis Pyramid . The highway then intersects US 51 (Danny Thomas Boulevard) and, just beyond this point, abruptly turns 90 degrees north near Midtown at an interchange with the western terminus of I-240 , a southern bypass route around the central city. It then intersects SR 14 (Jackson Avenue). Proceeding north, the highway crosses the Wolf River and reaches
16095-613: The bridge over the Clinch River ;– constructed at a cost of $ 2.4 million (equivalent to $ 18.7 million in 2023) – was dedicated and opened to traffic by Governor Buford Ellington . The 21.5-mile (34.6 km) section linking US 70 east of Brownsville and US 70 in Jackson, known at the time as the Jackson Bypass, was opened to traffic on December 1, 1961. The following day,
16280-446: The calculated AADT. In 1992, AASHTO released the AASHTO Guidelines for Traffic Data Programs, which identified a way to produce an AADT without seasonal or day-of-week biases by creating an "average of averages." For every month and day-of-week, a Monthly Average Day of Week (MADW) is calculated (84 per year). Each day-of-week's MADW is then calculated across months to calculate an Annual Average Day of Week (AADW) (7 per year). Finally,
16465-684: The cancellation of the Somerset Freeway . This situation was remedied when the construction of the Pennsylvania Turnpike/Interstate 95 Interchange Project started in 2010 and partially opened on September 22, 2018, which was already enough to fill the gap. However, I-70 remains discontinuous in Pennsylvania , because of the lack of a direct interchange with the Pennsylvania Turnpike at
16650-406: The choice of routing destroyed many well-established neighborhoods, often intentionally as part of a program of " urban renewal ". In the two decades following the 1956 Highway Act, the construction of the freeways displaced one million people, and as a result of the many freeway revolts during this era, several planned Interstates were abandoned or re-routed to avoid urban cores. Construction of
16835-531: The cities, including Jackson , Brownsville , Nutbush , and Waverly , were birthplaces (or homes) of singers and songwriters. Signs with the words "Music Highway" and musical notes are along I-40 in both directions throughout this section, and rest areas are named for associated musicians or bands. Several sections of I-40 also bear honorary names in Tennessee. In Memphis, the freeway was designated as "Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Expressway" in 1971 after
17020-664: The city. In some locations, low speed limits are the result of lawsuits and resident demands; after holding up the completion of I-35E in St. Paul, Minnesota , for nearly 30 years in the courts, residents along the stretch of the freeway from the southern city limit to downtown successfully lobbied for a 45 mph (70 km/h) speed limit in addition to a prohibition on any vehicle weighing more than 9,000 pounds (4,100 kg) gross vehicle weight . I-93 in Franconia Notch State Park in northern New Hampshire has
17205-401: The collection of tolls, some Interstate routes are toll roads , either because they were grandfathered into the system or because subsequent legislation has allowed for tolling of Interstates in some cases. As of 2022 , about one quarter of all vehicle miles driven in the country used the Interstate Highway System, which has a total length of 48,890 miles (78,680 km). In 2022 and 2023,
17390-480: The completion of a project which widened the eight-mile (13 km) section between west of SR 45 (Old Hickory Boulevard) in eastern Nashville and east of SR 171 in Mount Juliet from four to eight lanes. They were Tennessee's second set of HOV lanes. The project, which began in early 1995, was the state's first to use split Jersey barriers in the median every few miles to allow police enforcement from
17575-649: The concurrent part of I-75 on this segment was rerouted around the western leg of I-640 (completed in December 1980) and the short segment of I-75 north of this segment became I-275. These projects were part of a $ 250 million (equivalent to $ 668 million in 2023) multi-phase improvement project for area roads which was accelerated in preparation for the 1982 World's Fair . They were followed by widening I-40 to six lanes between Broadway and US 11W from July 1990 to October 1991. Interstate Highway System [REDACTED] The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways , commonly known as
17760-480: The concurrent segment with I-24: sensors embedded in the roadway which were connected to overhead warning signs with flashing lights and horns. The system (the first of its kind in the country) experienced technical problems, was criticized as ineffective, and was decommissioned in July 1980. This segment of I-40 was widened from six to eight lanes between July 1979 and January 1980 by removing the right shoulders, narrowing
17945-507: The construction and improvement of highways. The nation's revenue needs associated with World War I prevented any significant implementation of this policy, which expired in 1921. In December 1918, E. J. Mehren, a civil engineer and the editor of Engineering News-Record , presented his "A Suggested National Highway Policy and Plan" during a gathering of the State Highway Officials and Highway Industries Association at
18130-407: The contiguous United States, primary Interstates—also called main line Interstates or two-digit Interstates—are assigned numbers less than 100. While numerous exceptions do exist, there is a general scheme for numbering Interstates. Primary Interstates are assigned one- or two-digit numbers, while shorter routes (such as spurs, loops, and short connecting roads) are assigned three-digit numbers where
18315-461: The coverage count data collection method. Traffic is collected with portable sensors that are attached to the road and record traffic data typically for 2 – 14 days. These are typically pneumatic road tubes although other more expensive technology such as radar, laser, or sonar exist. After recording the traffic data, the traffic counts on the same road segment are taken again in another three years. The FHWA Traffic Monitoring Guide recommends performing
18500-623: The creation of the Southwest Territory , the territorial legislature on July 10, 1795, authorized a wagon trail to be constructed between Knoxville and Nashville. The trail, officially named the Cumberland Turnpike, became popularly known as the Walton Road for one of its surveyors: William Walton, an American Revolutionary War veteran. Built from 1799 to 1801 at a cost of $ 1,000 (equivalent to $ 22,312 in 2023), it
18685-619: The decision to the Sixth Circuit, which unanimously upheld the lower court's decision on December 18; and to the Supreme Court, which refused to hear the case on January 29, 1968. The construction of I-40 through Jefferson Street resulted in many Black residents being displaced to the Bordeaux area of North Nashville, and led to the predicted economic downturn in the neighborhood. The first high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes in
18870-597: The descent down Walden Ridge, was the last section of I-40 completed between Memphis and Knoxville, and was repeatedly delayed by geological problems. The westbound lanes opened to two-way traffic on November 18, 1972, and the complete section opened on August 19, 1974. Work started on this section in early 1966, and was originally expected to be completed by late 1968. The final segment of the planned route of I-40 in Tennessee, 21.5 miles (34.6 km) connecting US 11E/25W/70 east of Knoxville to US 25W/70 in Dandridge,
19055-623: The discontinuity, but they have been blocked by local opposition, fearing a loss of business. The Interstate Highway System has been expanded numerous times. The expansions have both created new designations and extended existing designations. For example, I-49 , added to the system in the 1980s as a freeway in Louisiana , was designated as an expansion corridor, and FHWA approved the expanded route north from Lafayette, Louisiana , to Kansas City, Missouri . The freeway exists today as separate completed segments, with segments under construction or in
19240-448: The dissemination of public information. As a result, the 2005 evacuation of New Orleans, Louisiana, prior to Hurricane Katrina ran much more smoothly. According to urban legend , early regulations required that one out of every five miles of the Interstate Highway System must be built straight and flat, so as to be usable by aircraft during times of war. There is no evidence of this rule being included in any Interstate legislation. It
19425-449: The east. The Interstate parallels the older U.S. Route 70 (US 70) corridor for its entire length in the state. It has interchanges and concurrencies with four other mainline Interstate Highways, and has five auxiliary routes : I-140 , I-240 , I-440 , I-640 , and I-840 . I-40 in Tennessee was mostly complete by the late 1960s, having been constructed in segments. The stretch between Memphis and Nashville, completed in 1966,
19610-484: The eastbound lanes also have access to US 441 southbound (Henley Street). The highway crosses a long viaduct over a rail yard before reaching an interchange with SR 158 (James White Parkway) westbound, a controlled-access spur which accesses downtown Knoxville and the University of Tennessee to the south. I-40 then curves north and northeast before an interchange with a connector to US 441. It enters
19795-496: The eastern end of the concurrency near Breezewood . Traveling in either direction, I-70 traffic must exit the freeway and use a short stretch of US 30 (which includes a number of roadside services) to rejoin I-70. The interchange was not originally built because of a legacy federal funding rule, since relaxed, which restricted the use of federal funds to improve roads financed with tolls. Solutions have been proposed to eliminate
19980-434: The eastern terminus of SR 300 , a controlled-access connector to US 51. The Interstate then shifts due east, bypassing central Memphis to the north. Passing near the neighborhoods of Frayser and Raleigh , I-40 intersects a number of surface streets and crosses the Wolf River for a second time about five miles (8.0 km) later. It then meets SR 14 again and turns southeast. A few miles later, I-40 reaches
20165-720: The eastern terminus of the Foothills Parkway before crossing the river a final time and curving sharply east. I-40 then enters the Cherokee National Forest and snakes through the Pigeon River gorge between the Great Smoky Mountains on the south and the Bald Mountains on the north, following the river's north bank. Due to hazardous curves, the speed limit is reduced to 55 mph (89 km/h) and trucks are prohibited from using
20350-450: The economy. Not just as a public works measure, but for future growth. Clay's committee proposed a 10-year, $ 100 billion program ($ 1.13 trillion in 2023), which would build 40,000 miles (64,000 km) of divided highways linking all American cities with a population of greater than 50,000. Eisenhower initially preferred a system consisting of toll roads , but Clay convinced Eisenhower that toll roads were not feasible outside of
20535-439: The existing, largely non-freeway, United States Numbered Highways system. By the late 1930s, planning had expanded to a system of new superhighways. In 1938, President Franklin D. Roosevelt gave Thomas MacDonald , chief at the Bureau of Public Roads, a hand-drawn map of the United States marked with eight superhighway corridors for study. In 1939, Bureau of Public Roads Division of Information chief Herbert S. Fairbank wrote
20720-426: The federal government, Interstate Highways are owned by the state in which they were built. With few exceptions , all Interstates must meet specific standards , such as having controlled access, physical barriers or median strips between lanes of oncoming traffic, breakdown lanes , avoiding at-grade intersections , no traffic lights , and complying with federal traffic sign specifications. Interstate Highways use
20905-482: The first of which has a concurrency with SR 84 . After a few miles, the highway reaches an elevation of 2,000 feet (610 m) just before crossing into Cumberland County and East Tennessee . After climbing the Cumberland Plateau, I-40 remains moderately flat and straight as it continues east through a mix of wooded areas and farmland. The highway crosses the Tennessee Valley Divide , where
21090-515: The first project. This project also widened the ramp connecting I-240 eastbound and I-40 eastbound to three lanes, widened both approaches to the interchange on I-40, which required a new 14-lane bridge over the Wolf River, widened the approach on I-240 south of the interchange, added through lanes to Sam Cooper Boulevard, and reconfigured the SR ;204 (Covington Pike) interchange. It cost $ 109.3 million (equivalent to $ 136 million in 2023),
21275-515: The first three contracts under the new program were signed in Missouri on August 2, 1956. The first contract signed was for upgrading a section of US Route 66 to what is now designated Interstate 44 . On August 13, 1956, work began on US 40 (now I-70) in St. Charles County. Kansas claims that it was the first to start paving after the act was signed. Preliminary construction had taken place before
21460-614: The first time sought to target these funds to the construction of a national road grid of interconnected "primary highways", setting up cooperation among the various state highway planning boards. The Bureau of Public Roads asked the Army to provide a list of roads that it considered necessary for national defense. In 1922, General John J. Pershing , former head of the American Expeditionary Force in Europe during
21645-489: The highest speed limits in a given area. Speed limits are determined by individual states. From 1975 to 1986, the maximum speed limit on any highway in the United States was 55 miles per hour (90 km/h), in accordance with federal law. Typically, lower limits are established in Northeastern and coastal states, while higher speed limits are established in inland states west of the Mississippi River . For example,
21830-553: The highly populated coastal regions. In February 1955, Eisenhower forwarded Clay's proposal to Congress. The bill quickly won approval in the Senate, but House Democrats objected to the use of public bonds as the means to finance construction. Eisenhower and the House Democrats agreed to instead finance the system through the Highway Trust Fund , which itself would be funded by a gasoline tax. In June 1956, Eisenhower signed
22015-617: The highway now designated I‑70 and I‑76 opened between Irwin and Carlisle . The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania refers to the turnpike as the Granddaddy of the Pikes, a reference to turnpikes . Milestones in the construction of the Interstate Highway System include: The initial cost estimate for the system was $ 25 billion over 12 years; it ended up costing $ 114 billion (equivalent to $ 425 billion in 2006 or $ 618 billion in 2023 ) and took 35 years. The system
22200-722: The highway which became I-40 was included in the National Interregional Highway Committee's 1944 report, "Interregional Highways", and a 1947 plan produced by the Public Roads Administration of the Federal Works Agency . The only area which presented a challenge to planners was the Blue Ridge Mountains, with residents of Western North Carolina divided over whether the Interstate should follow
22385-440: The incorporated suburb of Bartlett in eastern Shelby County . This stretch has eight lanes; the left lanes serve as high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes during rush hour , and it has several interchanges with local thoroughfares. The highway then intersects US 64 and narrows to four lanes. After passing through Lakeland , the Interstate reaches a cloverleaf interchange with the eastern ends of I-269 and SR 385 near
22570-459: The inefficiency of evacuating from southern Louisiana prior to Hurricane Georges ' landfall in September 1998, government officials looked towards contraflow to improve evacuation times. In Savannah, Georgia , and Charleston, South Carolina , in 1999, lanes of I-16 and I-26 were used in a contraflow configuration in anticipation of Hurricane Floyd with mixed results. In 2004, contraflow
22755-714: The interchange to full access control, modified the White Bridge Road interchange, and widened a short stretch of I-40 west of the interchange. A project from January 2004 to January 2007 widened the three-mile (4.8 km) section connecting I-24/440 to SR 255 from six to eight through lanes, added auxiliary lanes between interchanges, and reconstructed the interchange with SR 155 (Briley Parkway) for controlled access. Work to widen six miles (9.7 km) of I-40 from four to eight lanes from east of SR 171 to east of SR 109 in Lebanon began in July 2012 and
22940-462: The interchange. The nearby cloverleaf interchange with SR 14 (Jackson Avenue) was reduced to a partial cloverleaf interchange , and several additional auxiliary lanes and slip ramps were constructed. The northern merge point between I-40 and I-240 was moved north of the SR ;14 interchange. In November 1977, TDOT installed a system to detect tailgating vehicles in the westbound lanes of
23125-450: The lanes by one foot (30 cm), and shifting traffic slightly to the left. The short segment of I-40 from east of the split with I-24/I-440 and east of SR 255 (Donelson Pike) in eastern Nashville was widened to six lanes from August 1986 to December 1987. From October 1987 to November 1989, the 4.7-mile (7.6 km) segment from east of SR 255 to east of SR 45 was widened from four to eight lanes. West of downtown Nashville,
23310-634: The last sections between Memphis and Nashville were let. Clement opened and dedicated the 31-mile (50 km) stretch linking SR 59 near Braden and US 70 east of Brownsville on December 17, 1963. Four days later, the 15-mile (24 km) segment from SR 53 in Gordonsville to SR 56 near Silver Point opened. On June 2, 1964, the nine-mile (14 km) segment connecting SR 46 in Dickson and SR 96 in Williamson County
23495-407: The last sections of I-75 and I-81 in Tennessee were opened. The last section of I-40 in Tennessee to be completed linked Chelsea Avenue and US 64/70/79 in Memphis, and was originally part of I-240. Due to its location within a floodplain, an artificial fill of 23 million cubic yards (18 × 10 ^ m) of sand and silt was required for the roadbed, most of which was dredged and pumped from
23680-661: The last stretch in Middle Tennessee. The last segment of the planned I-40 in West Tennessee to be completed was the Hernando de Soto Bridge in Memphis; construction began on May 2, 1967, and the bridge opened to traffic on August 2, 1973. The bridge, which cost $ 57 million (equivalent to $ 299 million in 2023), was dedicated by Tennessee Governor Winfield Dunn and Arkansas Governor Dale Bumpers on August 17, 1973. The nine-mile (14 km) segment from SR 299 to US 27 near Harriman and Rockwood, including
23865-431: The last two digits match the parent route (thus, I-294 is a loop that connects at both ends to I-94 , while I-787 is a short spur route attached to I-87 ). In the numbering scheme for the primary routes, east–west highways are assigned even numbers and north–south highways are assigned odd numbers. Odd route numbers increase from west to east, and even-numbered routes increase from south to north (to avoid confusion with
24050-561: The left lane. This stretch is also prone to rockslides , and has mesh nets along some of the cliff slopes. The route gradually curves southeast near Hartford and, after several miles, crosses the Appalachian Trail and enters North Carolina. "Music Highway" refers to the section of I-40 between Memphis and Nashville, which was designated as such by the Tennessee General Assembly in 1997. The designation
24235-502: The left shoulder. The short stretch between SR 155 (Briley Parkway/White Bridge Road) and the western terminus of I-440 was modified from November 2002 to July 2005; it was widened to eight through lanes, auxiliary lanes were added, access to local thoroughfares was improved and expanded, and two overpasses provided partial access control to the southern end of Briley Parkway. The second phase (from July 2009 to August 2011) constructed an overpass between I-40 and Briley Parkway, converting
24420-485: The link between Fesslers and Spence Lanes (including the eastern interchange with I-24) was declared complete on January 11, 1965. The adjacent link to the west, between the western interchange with I-24 and Fesslers Lane, was partially opened in late December 1963 with the nearby Silliman Evans Bridge ; it fully opened on April 19, 1965. Work began on the bridge over the Tennessee River on November 29, 1962, and
24605-518: The lower-court rulings in the landmark decision of Citizens to Preserve Overton Park v. Volpe on March 2, 1971. The court found that Volpe had violated clauses of the Department of Transportation Act of 1966 and the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1968 , which prohibit the approval of federal funding for highway projects through public parks with feasible alternative routes. Tennessee continued exploring options to route I-40 through Overton Park for many years after this decision including tunneling under
24790-459: The main campus of the University of Tennessee and several residential neighborhoods, the Interstate intersects the northern terminus of US 129 (Alcoa Highway), a controlled-access highway accessing McGhee Tyson Airport and Great Smoky Mountains National Park . Next is an exit for SR 62 (Western Avenue), followed by a three-level interchange with the southern terminus of I-275 ;
24975-454: The mainline. Some auxiliary highways do not follow these guidelines, however. The Interstate Highway System also extends to Alaska , Hawaii , and Puerto Rico , even though they have no direct land connections to any other states or territories. However, their residents still pay federal fuel and tire taxes. The Interstates in Hawaii, all located on the most populous island of Oahu , carry
25160-753: The maximum speed limit is 75 mph (120 km/h) in northern Maine, varies between 50 and 70 mph (80 and 115 km/h) from southern Maine to New Jersey, and is 50 mph (80 km/h) in New York City and the District of Columbia. Currently, rural speed limits elsewhere generally range from 65 to 80 miles per hour (105 to 130 km/h). Several portions of various highways such as I-10 and I-20 in rural western Texas, I-80 in Nevada between Fernley and Winnemucca (except around Lovelock) and portions of I-15 , I-70 , I-80 , and I-84 in Utah have
25345-444: The most expensive contract in state history at the time, and was completed on December 15, 2016. The interchange with the western terminus of I-240 near midtown Memphis was reconstructed between June 2003 and December 2006. This project converted the interchange into a directional T configuration, which required the demolition of several unused ramps and bridges which had been built in the expectation that I-40 would continue east of
25530-474: The neighborhoods of The Gulch and SoBro, where I-65 turns south toward Huntsville, Alabama . Briefly independent for about one mile (1.6 km), I-40 crosses a viaduct and intersects US 31A / US 41A (4th Avenue, 2nd Avenue) before beginning a brief concurrency with I-24 . The concurrent Interstates turn southeast, expanding back to eight lanes. I-24 then turns southeast towards Chattanooga , and I-40 shifts eastward. The eastern terminus of I-440 and
25715-469: The north. A few miles later, it has a trumpet interchange with the eastern terminus of I-840 east of Lebanon . I-40 then enters Lebanon, shrinking back to four lanes, and interchanges with US 231 and US 70. The highway continues primarily across farmland for about 25 miles (40 km), passing a number of small communities. East of Lebanon, it enters Smith County and begins a steep ascent with an eastbound truck-climbing lane. Beyond this point
25900-531: The northern foothills of English Mountain , the Interstate turns south to an interchange with US 321. After leaving Newport, the road crosses the Pigeon River , intersects SR 73 near Cosby , and again turns south for a view of 4,928-foot (1,502 m) Mount Cammerer at the northeastern end of the Great Smoky Mountains . The highway crosses the Pigeon River again and intersects
26085-528: The northern portion of I-240 as the remainder of I-40; this added about 3.4 miles (5.5 km) to the route. About four miles (6.4 km) of a controlled-access highway was built within the I-240 loop east of the park before the cancellation; this portion of highway was named Sam Cooper Boulevard in December 1986, and terminates at East Parkway in the Binghampton neighborhood near the park. Right-of-way
26270-404: The number of fatalities on the Interstate Highway System amounted to more than 5,000 people annually, with nearly 5,600 fatalities in 2022. The United States government's efforts to construct a national network of highways began on an ad hoc basis with the passage of the Federal Aid Road Act of 1916 , which provided $ 75 million over a five-year period for matching funds to the states for
26455-422: The official Interstate Highway standards . On one- or two-digit Interstates, the mile marker numbering almost always begins at the southern or western state line. If an Interstate originates within a state, the numbering begins from the location where the road begins in the south or west. As with all guidelines for Interstate routes, however, numerous exceptions exist. Annual average daily traffic AADT
26640-561: The original Interstate Highway System was proclaimed complete in 1992, despite deviations from the original 1956 plan and several stretches that did not fully conform with federal standards . The construction of the Interstate Highway System cost approximately $ 114 billion (equivalent to $ 618 billion in 2023). The system has continued to expand and grow as additional federal funding has provided for new routes to be added, and many future Interstate Highways are currently either being planned or under construction. Though heavily funded by
26825-504: The park or constructing the highway below grade, but concluded that the alternatives were too expensive. On January 9, 1981, Governor Alexander submitted a request to Secretary of Transportation Neil Goldschmidt to cancel the route through Overton Park, which was approved seven days later. On June 28, 1982, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials approved an application by TDOT to redesignate
27010-656: The planning phase between them. In 1966, the FHWA designated the entire Interstate Highway System as part of the larger Pan-American Highway System, and at least two proposed Interstate expansions were initiated to help trade with Canada and Mexico spurred by the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Long-term plans for I-69 , which currently exists in several separate completed segments (the largest of which are in Indiana and Texas ),
27195-420: The predecessor to TDOT, the agency designated these roads as the Memphis to Bristol Highway, and numbered them SR 1 eight years later. When the United States Numbered Highway System was formed in 1926, the route connecting Memphis and Knoxville became part of US 70 and US 70S ; the route from Knoxville to Bristol was designated as part of US 11 and US 11W . The highway became part of
27380-411: The prefix H . There are three one-digit routes in the state ( H-1 , H-2 , and H-3 ) and one auxiliary route ( H-201 ). These Interstates connect several military and naval bases together, as well as the important communities spread across Oahu, and especially within the urban core of Honolulu . Both Alaska and Puerto Rico also have public highways that receive 90 percent of their funding from
27565-597: The river, the highway crosses the Buffalo River and intersects SR 13 , which connects to Linden and Waverly . It then descends another steep grade, again with a westbound truck-climbing lane, and crosses into Hickman County . It soon reaches SR 50 , which connects to Centerville , and crosses the Duck River . The highway enters Dickson County several miles later, where it reaches SR 48 and access to Centerville and Dickson . I-40 then crosses
27750-430: The route between the state capitol and his home in Cookeville. In 1990, the segment from near Farragut to the North Carolina line was named "Troy A. McGill Memorial Highway" after a Knoxville-born U.S. Army soldier who posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Admiralty Islands campaign in World War II . The name was changed to "Troy A. McGill Medal of Honor Memorial Highway" in 2022. In 2023,
27935-415: The route, without regard to the route number. For instance, I-190 in Massachusetts is labeled north–south, while I-195 in New Jersey is labeled east–west. Some looped Interstate routes use inner–outer directions instead of compass directions, when the use of compass directions would create ambiguity. Due to the large number of these routes, auxiliary route numbers may be repeated in different states along
28120-419: The same numbers, which is generally disallowed under highway administration guidelines. Several two-digit numbers are shared between unconnected road segments at opposite ends of the country for various reasons. Some such highways are incomplete Interstates (such as I-69 and I-74 ) and some just happen to share route designations (such as I-76 , I-84 , I‑86 , I-87 , and I-88 ). Some of these were due to
28305-503: The same roadway are signed as traveling in opposite directions; one such wrong-way concurrency is found between Wytheville and Fort Chiswell , Virginia, where I‑81 north and I‑77 south are equivalent (with that section of road traveling almost due east), as are I‑81 south and I‑77 north. Auxiliary Interstate Highways are circumferential, radial, or spur highways that principally serve urban areas . These types of Interstate Highways are given three-digit route numbers, which consist of
28490-422: The second-longest stretch of Interstate Highway within a single state east of the Mississippi River . It is the only Interstate Highway to pass through all three of the state's Grand Divisions and all nine physiographic regions . The highway is maintained by the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT). The busiest stretch of highway in Tennessee is on the segment concurrent with I-75 in Knoxville between
28675-473: The segment to a minimum of six through lanes; added frontage roads; and reconstructed the gridlock-prone cloverleaf interchange with I-75 known as "Malfunction Junction" into a stack interchange with overpasses. The non-contiguous segment between US 11W (Rutledge Pike) and US 11E/25W/70 (Asheville Highway) was also widened to six lanes. Work was completed on March 30, 1982, with a ceremony officiated by Governor Alexander. While these projects were underway,
28860-433: The stretch through Cocke County was named "Charles L. McGaha Medal of Honor Memorial Highway" after a soldier from Cosby who won the Medal of Honor for service in the 1944–1945 Philippines campaign in World War II. A number of short sections, bridges, and interchanges are named for state troopers and TDOT employees killed in the line of duty, as well as local politicians and other prominent citizens. On September 24, 2008,
29045-415: The suburb of Arlington . Leaving the Memphis area, I-40 enters Fayette County east of Arlington; about five miles (8 km) later, it crosses the Loosahatchie River and adjacent wetlands. Over the next 30 miles (50 km), the Interstate crosses a level expanse of farmland and some woodlands and swamplands in a straight alignment, bypassing most cities and communities. An interchange with SR 59
29230-421: The three-mile (4.8 km) section between SR 155 (Briley Parkway/White Bridge Road) and US 70 (Charlotte Pike) was expanded to six lanes from February 1988 to December 1989. From April 1991 to December 1992, the 5.9-mile (9.5 km) section in Bellevue linking US 70 and US 70S was widened to six lanes. The first HOV lanes on I-40 in Tennessee were opened to traffic on November 14, 1996, with
29415-466: The three-mile (4.8 km) segment from US 25W/70 to US 321 in Newport. On July 24, 1966, I-40 was completed between Memphis and Nashville with the opening of the 64-mile (103 km) segment from SR 22 in Parkers Crossroads to SR 46 near Dickson after seven months of weather-related delays. The Nashville section between US 70 and 46th Avenue was also completed. A dedication ceremony, officiated by Clement and US Senator Albert Gore Sr. ,
29600-632: The top, the Interstate reaches an elevation of 1,000 feet (300 m) for the first time in Tennessee, close to Silver Point . The highway then curves northeast and begins a concurrency with SR 56 , which connects to Smithville and McMinnville to the south. I-40 then gradually shifts eastward for several miles before reaching Baxter , where SR 56 splits off and heads north toward Gainesboro . The Interstate has five interchanges in Cookeville , including one with SR 111 (a major north–south connector to Chattanooga) and another with US 70N . It then crosses Falling Water River and begins
29785-413: The town of Parkers Crossroads . The Interstate then crosses the Big Sandy River before proceeding through the northern half of Natchez Trace State Park . Over the next few miles, the highway transitions several times between Henderson and Carroll counties before entering Decatur County . It reaches US 641 / SR 69 , another major north–south corridor connecting Camden and Decaturville , at
29970-705: The view to the north. After an interchange with SR 58 southbound in Kingston , the Interstate begins a brief concurrency with this route. It climbs a short, relatively-steep ridge out of the Clinch River Valley, and SR 58 splits off to the north toward Oak Ridge . Continuing through rugged terrain and across additional ridges, the Interstate enters Loudon County and intersects US 321 / SR 95 near Lenoir City before reaching I-75. I-40 merges with I-75 , which continues southwest to Chattanooga, about 20 miles (32 km) west-southwest of downtown Knoxville . The two routes turn east-northeast, carrying six through lanes, and enter Knox County . After climbing
30155-440: The war, complied by submitting a detailed network of 20,000 miles (32,000 km) of interconnected primary highways—the so-called Pershing Map . A boom in road construction followed throughout the decade of the 1920s, with such projects as the New York parkway system constructed as part of a new national highway system. As automobile traffic increased, planners saw a need for such an interconnected national system to supplement
30340-506: The westbound highway has a truck-climbing lane. After a few miles, I-40 intersects a connector road to US 70 near the town of Crab Orchard . It winds through Crab Orchard Gap, a narrow pass at the base of the Cumberland Mountains which was once prone to rockslides . The Interstate then briefly ascends, with the eastbound lanes adding a truck-climbing lane. At the top it enters Roane County , also transitioning from Central to Eastern Time . The Interstate then curves northeast and begins
30525-442: Was also acquired west of the park, and many structures were demolished to make way for the Interstate; some of these empty lots have since been built on. When the route was canceled, about $ 280 million (equivalent to $ 795 million in 2023) had been budgeted by the federal government for its construction; these funds were then diverted for other transportation improvements in the Memphis metropolitan area . I-40 passes through
30710-418: Was among 1,047.6 miles (1,685.9 km) of Interstate Highways authorized for the state by the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 , commonly known as the Interstate Highway Act. Its numbering was approved by the American Association of State Highway Officials on August 14, 1957. At 451.8 miles (727.1 km) long, I-40 in Tennessee was initially the longest segment of Interstate Highway in a single state east of
30895-411: Was approved by the Bureau of Public Roads in November 1956. The park consists of a wooded refuge, the Memphis Zoo , the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art , the Memphis College of Art , a nine-hole golf course , an amphitheater which was the site of Elvis Presley 's first paid concert in 1954, and other amenities. When the state announced the routing through the park, a group of local citizens spearheaded by
31080-479: Was complete by the end of 1964, but paving was delayed to allow additional progress in North Carolina. On October 24, 1968, the 37-mile (60 km) stretch between US 321/SR 32 in Newport and US 276 in Haywood County, North Carolina , was opened to traffic by both states with a dedication ceremony. In Nashville, the segment linking 46th Avenue with I-65 opened to traffic on March 15, 1971. The Memphis section from US 51 to Chelsea Avenue, including
31265-410: Was completed in July 2014. The four-mile (6.4 km) stretch from east of SR 109 to east of I-840 in Lebanon was widened from four to eight lanes between April 2019 and September 2021. Beginning in early May 1980, the segment of I-40 in Knoxville between Papermill Road and Gay Street was modified in a project which modified the interchanges with 17th Street, Western Avenue, and Gay Street; widened
31450-456: Was completed on July 21, 1965, at a cost of $ 4.62 million (equivalent to $ 34.1 million in 2023). Several segments of the western portion of the 26-mile (42 km) stretch connecting Spence Lane in Nashville and US 70 in Lebanon were opened to local traffic in 1963; the entire stretch was dedicated by Clement on August 26, 1965. The 10.5-mile (16.9 km) segment from SR 13 in Humphreys County and SR 230 in Hickman County
31635-443: Was completed on November 14, 1952; the second segment, joining Tulip Avenue and Gay Street , was completed on December 10, 1955. The Magnolia Avenue Expressway had a cloverleaf interchange which was reused for the intersection with I-75 (now I-275) and US 441. This configuration quickly developed a reputation for severe congestion and a high accident rate, and became known locally as "Malfunction Junction". The general location of
31820-420: Was completed on November 24, 1965. On December 20, 1965, four segments were declared complete by the state highway department: the 19-mile (31 km) stretch connecting US 70 in Lebanon to SR 53 in Gordonsville, the eight-mile (13 km) segment from the Tennessee River to SR 13 in Humphreys County, the 11-mile (18 km) stretch linking US 70N in Cookeville and US 70N in Monterey, and
32005-605: Was completed. The opening of the Knoxville stretch linking Papermill Road and Liberty Street was announced on September 4, 1964. Two non-contiguous sections – between US 27 in Harriman and the Clinch River Bridge in Kingston, and from Liberty to Unaka Street in downtown Knoxville – were opened on December 4, 1964. Two separate stretches, 23 miles (37 km) linking I-240 in Memphis and SR 59 in Braden, and 21 miles (34 km) connecting US 70 in Jackson and SR 22 in Parkers Crossroads, were dedicated by Clement 10 days later. In Nashville,
32190-448: Was constructed from portions of Tollunteeskee's Trail, Avery's Trace, and the Emery Road (an earlier trail cleared by settlers) and passed through Kingston, Carthage, and Gallatin. In 1911, a series of Tennessee businesspeople formed the Memphis to Bristol Highway Association to encourage the state to improve the roads which ran between Memphis and Bristol . After the 1915 formation of the Tennessee Department of Highways and Public Works,
32375-411: Was dedicated by Dunn and partially opened to traffic on December 20, 1974; it fully opened on September 12, 1975. Initially planned with four lanes, engineers chose to expand this segment to six lanes in 1972 after construction had begun, based on studies projecting a higher-than-average traffic volume. This segment, one of the nation's first rural six-lane highways, was also dedicated on the same day that
32560-399: Was delayed until October 2013 due to funding and redesign complications. A two-lane overpass was built to carry I-40 eastbound traffic through the interchange, replacing a one-lane ramp. The single-lane ramp carrying I-40 westbound traffic through the interchange was repurposed as the exit ramp for Summer Avenue, and was replaced with a two-lane overpass connecting to the overpass constructed in
32745-442: Was employed ahead of Hurricane Charley in the Tampa, Florida area and on the Gulf Coast before the landfall of Hurricane Ivan ; however, evacuation times there were no better than previous evacuation operations. Engineers began to apply lessons learned from the analysis of prior contraflow operations, including limiting exits, removing troopers (to keep traffic flowing instead of having drivers stop for directions), and improving
32930-445: Was first used by settlers and explorers in the 1760s. The North Carolina General Assembly (which controlled present-day Tennessee) authorized in 1787 construction of a trail between the southern end of Clinch Mountain (near present-day Knoxville) and the Cumberland Association , which included modern-day Nashville. Completed the following year, the trail became known as Avery's Trace and followed several Native American trails. After
33115-618: Was held on the Tennessee River Bridge. This was the first Interstate Highway segment between two major cities in Tennessee, and cost $ 109.87 million (equivalent to $ 788 million in 2023). The section joining US 25W/70 to SR 113 in Jefferson County, including the interchange with I-81, was completed in December 1966. On April 11, 1967, the segment in Knoxville from Gay Street to US 11W opened. The 16-mile (26 km) segment linking US 70N in Monterey and US 127 in Crossville opened to traffic on December 1 of that year. The final section of I-40 in Knoxville to be completed
33300-422: Was proclaimed complete in 1992, but two of the original Interstates— I-95 and I-70 —were not continuous: both of these discontinuities were due to local opposition, which blocked efforts to build the necessary connections to fully complete the system. I-95 was made a continuous freeway in 2018, and thus I-70 remains the only original Interstate with a discontinuity. I-95 was discontinuous in New Jersey because of
33485-529: Was reconstructed with two projects. The first, which began in January 2001 and finished in October 2003, constructed a two-lane overpass from I-40 westbound to I-240 westbound; this replaced a one-lane loop ramp and widened the approach of I-240 south of the interchange. I-40 north of the interchange was also reconstructed in preparation for the second project, and the interchanges with US 64/70/79 (Summer Avenue) and White Station Road were modified. The second project, initially scheduled to begin in January 2004,
33670-494: Was serving as Supreme Commander of Allied Forces in Europe during World War II . In 1954, Eisenhower appointed General Lucius D. Clay to head a committee charged with proposing an interstate highway system plan. Summing up motivations for the construction of such a system, Clay stated, It was evident we needed better highways. We needed them for safety, to accommodate more automobiles. We needed them for defense purposes, if that should ever be necessary. And we needed them for
33855-447: Was the segment connecting US 11W and US 11E/25W/70, which opened on December 19, 1967, to eastbound traffic and on June 21, 1968, to westbound traffic. The 12-mile-long (19 km) segment from US 127 in Crossville to US 70 in Crab Orchard opened on September 12, 1968. The adjacent section, extending to SR 299 near the eastern escarpment of the Cumberland Plateau, followed on September 26, 1969. The section through
34040-425: Was the state's first major Interstate segment to be finished. The last planned section was completed in 1975, and much of the route has been widened and reconstructed since then. The I-40 corridor between Memphis and Nashville is known as Music Highway because it passes through a region which was instrumental in the development of American popular music . In Memphis, the highway is also nationally significant due to
34225-467: Was underway for most of the entire Tennessee route. The first contract for construction of I-40 in Tennessee as part of the Interstate Highway System was awarded on August 2, 1957, for a 4.8-mile (7.7 km) section in Roane County near Kingston, between the Clinch River and SR 58; construction began the following month. Construction of I-40 between Memphis and Nashville began on September 18, 1958, in Madison County near Jackson. On October 19, 1961,
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