Travelers to Knoxville, Beware!

The Tennessee Department of Transportation will take on its most ambitious construction task to date when it closes a short section of Interstate 40 in downtown Knoxville at 12:01 a.m. on May 1. A short segment of I-40, located between James White Parkway (Exit 388) and Hall of Fame Drive (Exit 389) will be closed for at least 14 months while the interstate is totally reconstructed as part of the final phase of the SmartFIX40 project. The SmartFIX40 project, which began in 2005, will be completed on or before June 30, 2009 and will save more than two to three years of construction time.

"This is a complex project, but the end result will be a safer commute for the millions of people who travel this busy section of I-40 each month," said Governor Phil Bredesen. "The planning the Department of Transportation has put into preparing for the project and communicating its impacts to motorists ahead of time should minimize the inconveniences as construction gets underway."

Beginning May 1, I-40 travelers will be rerouted onto I-640. Access to and from downtown Knoxville will be maintained throughout construction. Motorists will have a number of alternate routes to reach downtown and the University of Tennessee. Eastbound motorists can use James White Parkway, Henley Street or Alcoa Highway. Westbound motorists can use the new Hall of Fame Drive to get to Neyland Drive and the South Knoxville Bridge.

According to TDOT Commissioner Gerald Nicely, years of planning and preparation have gone into the SmartFIX40 project. "This is the largest, most complex and most expensive project in TDOT history and our goal is to maintain a safe and efficient traffic flow during the closure. We have worked extensively with local and state law enforcement and emergency response agencies to ensure we are prepared for a variety of contingencies."

During the closure, the segment of I-40 will be widened to six through lanes and four auxiliary lanes will be added. In addition to interstate improvements, work will include the construction of nine bridges, 14 retaining walls and three noise walls. Additionally, two existing bridges will be demolished, 12 side roads will be completed and seven new ramps will be constructed.

"This particular section of I-40 has been a nuisance to traffic for some time," said Paul Degges, TDOT's Chief Engineer. "Following this phase of reconstruction, we will have corrected long-standing deficiencies and dramatically improved the traffic flow through downtown Knoxville."

Broken into two separate contracts, SmartFIX40 has a price tag of $190 million. SmartFIX40 is an accelerated construction process that involves closing a primary roadway to allow around-the-clock work that is uninterrupted by traffic. This will dramatically shorten the time required to complete the project, thereby enhancing safety and reducing long-term inconvenience to motorists.