Memphis and Nashville Interstate Systems

[HABANERO7]

I prefer Memphis. Its alot easier for me to navigate from each part of town, esp. if I am doing so for the first time. I think its much easier to navigate its primary and secondary non-interstate roadways and keep a clear idea of where your heading within town. In Nashville I can get on the interstate and get all turned around as to where I'm at in relation to the city, ie there is more disconnect of how the parts of town fit together, as a result of that fact I tend to use the Pikes more than the interstates, I learn(ed) more about the city that way.

I agree, Memphis is more simple in the layout, the directions are easy to follow and you always seem to know which way you are headed. In Nashville the interstates do so many loops around town and they do so very quickly... if you are not paying attention downtown can go from your left to your right very quickly. It can be very confusing. I make maps for a living and it still trys to turn me around. The overall volume of the traffic on the interstates in both cities can be overwhelming at times, although I do agree that Knoxville could actually have the worst traffic in the state, but whatever the case overall I think the navagation of Memphis is easier while the directions you can travel out of... aka the ease of getting from point a to point b might be a bit shorter in Nashville because of the spoke effect that Nashvilles interstate creates.

[ohb]

Has anyone traveled on I-65 southbound between Rivergate and Briley Pkwy. The construction is finished and it is 5-7 lanes going southbound alleviating that part of the morning rush hour traffic. Within the next 2 years when all the construction around the city is over rush hour traffic will be pretty smooth all over town except for the immedeate downtown loop.

[ohb]

I-65 north of downtown Nashville finally finished!!!!!

[Justiceham]

We agree with you smeagolsfree I-440 is too close to downtown Nashville and I-840 is too far out.

I agree as well, I-440 is too close to downtown and should be where briley parkway currently is. I-840 is too far out and should have been where Sam Ridley Parkway is, extending from smyrna through franklin.

[fieldmarshaldj]

I agree as well, I-440 is too close to downtown and should be where briley parkway currently is. I-840 is too far out and should have been where Sam Ridley Parkway is, extending from smyrna through franklin.

I personally hope the I-840 Northern Loop monster is NEVER built. The Southern section is bad enough.

[Justiceham]

I personally hope the I-840 Northern Loop monster is NEVER built. The Southern section is bad enough.

Yeah I mean, it is great to have access to I-65 and I-40 and to be honest, I-840 is probably more beneficial to those living in Rutherford County. The Southern part of it frames a good part of Murfreesboro (Sulfur Springs exit to Beasley Rd future exit).

[fieldmarshaldj]

Yeah I mean, it is great to have access to I-65 and I-40 and to be honest, I-840 is probably more beneficial to those living in Rutherford County. The Southern part of it frames a good part of Murfreesboro (Sulfur Springs exit to Beasley Rd future exit).

I concede the I-40 to I-24 (Lebanon-M'boro) leg could probably be justified for the long run (if only because of Rutherford's explosive growth), and perhaps even I-24 to I-65 (M'boro-Spring Hill), but once you start putting up a monster like that right through the middle of rural expanses, some of which may be topographically impossible or undesireable to mass-develop (meaning years before its construction is justified, if ever, not to mention running the risk of that donut-style development the Atlanta loop spurred on), and spending untold billions to do it, it'll soon become like the beltway version of Boston's Big Dig. No one in Spring Hill or Southern Williamson has a justifiable burning need to be able to get to rural Dickson County a half-hour quicker given the expense involved.

[Justiceham]

I concede the I-40 to I-24 (Lebanon-M'boro) leg could probably be justified for the long run (if only because of Rutherford's explosive growth), and perhaps even I-24 to I-65 (M'boro-Spring Hill), but once you start putting up a monster like that right through the middle of rural expanses, some of which may be topographically impossible or undesireable to mass-develop (meaning years before its construction is justified, if ever, not to mention running the risk of that donut-style development the Atlanta loop spurred on), and spending untold billions to do it, it'll soon become like the beltway version of Boston's Big Dig. No one in Spring Hill or Southern Williamson has a justifiable burning need to be able to get to rural Dickson County a half-hour quicker given the expense involved.

I agree, everytime I drive on I-840, I think about how one day it will all be developed, no more cows, or horses, or natural scenery. I am all for development, but as you've pointed out there really is no justification, now, to complete the northern loop of this road. Rutherford County has plans for several new interchanges for I-840 in the near future. They do, however, seem justifiable as new neighborhoods develop and schools are built. I just hope that, we learn from others mistakes and take a different direction.

[AmandaHugginkiss]

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

[Clobber]

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

I think Memphis avgs about 3 or 4 each direction. Some places have 5 or 6 each direction (esp. 40 beyond the 240 towards Cordova). Around the interchanges there are obviously more. Interestingly when Nonconnah Parkway (Future 269) passes Winchester and goes toward Collierville, it goes down to two lanes. I think that's a little shortsighted given the growth out there. I think on the Paul Barrett part of 269, it's the same thing near Millington.

[bluff2085]

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]

Any relation to Friends for our Riverfront?

Nope. That was a different organization.

[nashvol85]

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]

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.

[nashvillwill]

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.

[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]

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.

[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.

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]

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).

[Clobber]

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.

[mandrws1]

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.