I-440 Fully Reopens After Largest Project In TDOT History

July 2, 2020 – News4 Nashville (WSMV) – By: Lindsey Nance

Today, the Tennessee Department of Transportation officially completes the largest road project in the state’s history.

After about a year and nine months of steady road work and closures Nashville commuters can finally enjoy the new and improved Interstate 440.

All lanes of I-440 are back open and were completed ahead of schedule. News4 spoke with the project’s manager about what it took to get the job done.

“It really comes down to hard work by the contractor, good communication between contractors are really executing the plan that they put together,” said I-440 Project Manager Clayton Markham.

News4 has been following the project since fall of 2018, when work got underway. 260,000 hours and $155 million later, the potholes and grooved pavement are gone, with new asphalt and an extra lane of travel added in each direction. It’s much needed too, with 100,000 drivers taking the corridor every day.

Along with the smoother commute, drivers will notice new LED lighting, improved message boards, additional landscaping and a new speed limit of 55 miles per hour. 

“With those proper maintenance techniques and processes in place we hope that the roadway lasts for a really long time for the citizens of Nashville,” Markham said.

To celebrate the project completion, the governor, mayor and TDOT staff will take part in a caravan event through I-440 this morning from 10 to 10:30 a.m..