73 replies to this topic

[bluff2085]

sleepy, on Dec 30 2005, 11:16 AM, said:

In the early 70's,  interstate 40 was stopped from going straight through Memphis by a citizens group--Friends of Overton Park.

Any relation to Friends for our Riverfront?

[sleepy]

bluff2085, on May 23 2006, 02:14 PM, said:

Any relation to Friends for our Riverfront?

Nope.  That was a different organization.

[nashvol85]

AmandaHugginkiss, on May 22 2006, 02:53 PM, said:

Between the two cities, how many lanes do they average on the freeway?

In Nashville:

I-40 east - 4 lanes from downtown to the 24/40 split...they are widening it to 4-5 lanes through the airport to Mount Juliet (8 miles or so)
I-40 west - 3-4 lanes from downtown to past Briely Pkwy (5-6 miles)

I-65 north - 4 lanes to the 24-65 split...3 lanes to Briely Pkwy, then 5-6 lanes to Rivergate (4-5 miles)
I-65 south - 3 lanes from downtown to I-440...4-5 lanes from I-440 to Hwy 96 in Franklin (15 miles)

I-24 east - 4 lanes from downtown to Murfreesboro (30 miles)
I-24 west - 4 lanes from downtown to the 24-65 split...2-3 lanes after that

can't remember if all of the information is correct, but that's how I remember it.

[Justiceham]

Having driven on both I would say Nashville's interstates are more adequate and a bit more convenient since there are so many interchanges. Overall, Tennessee's interstates system and smoothness/markings on the roads are superb compared to much of the nation. However, rush hour is torture and I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy. The number of lanes is on par with todays traffic but could be better. I 24 is by far the busiest interstate day and night and should be widened to 12 lanes from Murfreesboro to Nashville.

[miami1855]

Justiceham, on Dec 5 2006, 04:30 PM, said:

Having driven on both I would say Nashville's interstates are more adequate and a bit more convenient since there are so many interchanges. Overall, Tennessee's interstates system and smoothness/markings on the roads are superb compared to much of the nation. However, rush hour is torture and I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy. The number of lanes is on par with todays traffic but could be better. I 24 is by far the busiest interstate day and night and should be widened to 12 lanes from Murfreesboro to Nashville.

I agree. And why I-24 is still 2 lanes toward Clarksville is a mystery to me. The interchange with I-65 is backed up every morning.

[nashvillwill]

miami1855, on Dec 8 2006, 08:05 AM, said:

I agree. And why I-24 is still 2 lanes toward Clarksville is a mystery to me. The interchange with I-65 is backed up every morning.

Well, remember the 24 stretch from Nashville to Murfeesboro was widened from 2 to 4 lanes (per direction) in the past 10 years (past Bell Rd.). It will take time, hopefully involving some mass transit, to solve that problem.

As far as the 24 split coming in from Clarksville is concerned, I think it is a roadway problem. I won't deny it needs another lane, but the main problem is the way the lanes shift. 3 lanes; 2 towards Nashville; 2 towards rivergate; at the last moment before the interchange, the outside(Rivergate lane) merges into the center lane; at the same time, the inside (Nashville lane) shifts to entering Briley Pkwy traffic. Then, both lanes shift back over a lane to the split. It makes no sense!!

[Memphis10]

I voted Memphis because...how could get lost on the freeway?...LOL...I mean its a big loop!...other than 55, 40, and Nonconnah u cant get lost. Just keep going around the loop till u get where u wanna.

[Fellowmann20]

Memphis10, on Dec 11 2006, 11:21 PM, said:

I voted Memphis because...how could get lost on the freeway?...LOL...I mean its a big loop!...other than 55, 40, and Nonconnah u cant get lost. Just keep going around the loop till u get where u wanna.

Yeah, Nashville has a lot of interchanges, and a 3rd interstate.  I imagine it gets really confusing having to change lanes all the time.

[watnow1425]

To me, in Nashville you always have to watch where your going or you end up the wrong way. Memphis isn't exactly better then Nashville but it is alot easier to get congested when I-40 hits 240, theres even traffic there on the weekends.

[G-townTN]

I am going to venture on to say that considering commute times, with out traffic, nashville has the edge, but nashville has more severe traffic james.  The reason nashville has better commute times is becuase it has a more extensive and user friendly interstate system.  It basically reaches to all parts of the metro and pulls to a center point, aka downtown/midtown.  Due to how the interstate system was designed in memphis, we don't have this luxury.  It is almost difficult even finding the interstate when you are on poplar.

As for traffic jams, have you seen the interchanges in nashville.  Things got a little better when they finally finished the interchange between 24-440 and 40 east, but that has little impact when you are driving from the west.  The interchange at 65 and 440 is horrible especially from 4-7.  Also there are severe weaving problems driving west on 40 from I-65 past I-24 to I-40.  Memphis has better designed interchanges to actually allow cars to flow especially since the redesigned the midtown 240-40 interchange.


This is a stupid poll.  People are only going to vote for the city they are from.

[dxfret]

It should be noted that the terrain in Nashville (hills and limestone) make it much more difficult and expensive to construct interstates than the flat delta plains of Memphis.  

Nashville has tremendous traffic on its interstates, especially at rush hours.  Commuters head to downtown Nashville from the numerous fast-growing suburban towns (Murfreesboro, Lebanon, Clarksville, Gallatin, Franklin, etc.) but the system handles the traffic pretty well these days now that major construction projects are largely complete (especially I-40 near Briley Pkwy and BNA).  

Fortunately, Nashville has the downtown inner loop (240), outer loop (440), Briley Pkwy/Old Hickory Blvd, and the 840 loop still under construction in segments.  Nashville and Middle TN are growing far faster than the Memphis area, so the 840 loop will need to be finished asap.   Clarksville alone has nearly 120,000 residents -- amazing!

It is also great that Nashville has commuter rail service with the Music City Star from Lebanon to downtown.  The commuter rail would do really well to expand its service to Murfreesboro through Antioc, LaVergne, Smyrna and to Murfreesboro.

smeagolsfree, on Jun 30 2005, 02:12 PM, said:

Right now I would say Memphis is better because of not being as confusing to drive through as  Nashville. If you dont know the roads and the correct lane to be in,  you could be on the wrong road and not even know it. The worst part of the  Nashville system is the I40/I24 route that runs together through downtown. The state is working hard to fix the system around town, but that section will always be a disaster until the get rid of it. Another problem are the inbound Interstates being widened to 4 or 5 lanes and when you get to downtown you have 2 or 3 interstates merged into 4 lanes. Sorry Nashville, but Memphis is one up on us. The interstate system has been under construction since I came here in 1995. It looks as if there will be road construction here till dooms day.

[sleepy]

dxfret, on Dec 3 2007, 11:06 AM, said:

It should be noted that the terrain in Nashville (hills and limestone) make it much more difficult and expensive to construct interstates than the flat delta plains of Memphis.  

Nashville has tremendous traffic on its interstates, especially at rush hours.  Commuters head to downtown Nashville from the numerous fast-growing suburban towns (Murfreesboro, Lebanon, Clarksville, Gallatin, Franklin, etc.) but the system handles the traffic pretty well these days now that major construction projects are largely complete (especially I-40 near Briley Pkwy and BNA).

I think one of the things that saves Memphis' interstates is the fact that Memphis is more compact, and has a great arterial road system--large 6 lane avenues, boulevards, whatever--that take much of the burden off the interstate system, particularly within the I-240 loop.  In fact, within that loop, i.e., the old "city", there aren't really that many freeways to speak of.

Edited by sleepy, 03 December 2007 - 01:41 PM.

[Clobber]

sleepy, on Dec 3 2007, 02:41 PM, said:

I think one of the things that saves Memphis' interstates is the fact that Memphis is more compact, and has a great arterial road system--large 6 lane avenues, boulevards, whatever--that take much of the burden off the interstate system, particularly within the I-240 loop.  In fact, within that loop, i.e., the old "city", there aren't really that many freeways to speak of.

Memphis does appear to have a great blend of highways and roads/avenues to use to commute easily and efficiently.

[mandrws1]

sleepy, on Dec 3 2007, 01:41 PM, said:

I think one of the things that saves Memphis' interstates is the fact that Memphis is more compact, and has a great arterial road system--large 6 lane avenues, boulevards, whatever--that take much of the burden off the interstate system, particularly within the I-240 loop.  In fact, within that loop, i.e., the old "city", there aren't really that many freeways to speak of.

Yeah, some of Memphis' streets are just as wide if not wider than some of the freeways in Nashville.  But like Sleepy said, they have to be because Memphis is much denser than Nashville.