Phase 2 construction of I-24 SMART Corridor in Tennessee to begin

The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) recently announced construction will begin on Phase 2 of the I-24 SMART Corridor in April 2022.

According to a news release from TDOT, work will be done on a total of 67 overhead gantries along the corridor from Nashville to Murfreesboro. The gantries will be placed over the east and westbound lanes of the interstate as part of the new intelligent transportation systems (ITS) throughout the corridor.

The gantries will become operational once construction work is finished, which is expected to be in November. Stansell Electric Company Inc. will first construct the lane control sign gantries and then install the necessary communication devices. Once the gantries are up, testing will be conducted in the following months.

TDOT says I-24 is an integral part of the Nashville-Davidson County transportation network and a major route for commuters and freight. Since 2005, traffic volumes have increased by more than 60% in the Murfreesboro-Rutherford County segments of l-24.

TDOT says further widening of the interstate is “not financially feasible, nor will it solve the congestion issues along the corridor.”

The I-24 SMART Corridor project will integrate freeway and arterial roadway elements, along with physical, technological, and operational improvements, to provide drivers accurate, real-time information and to actively manage traffic for a more reliable commute, TDOT says.

Phase 1 of the project was completed in December 2021. Phase 2 is expected to be completed in the spring of 2023.