Interstate 75 (I-75) in the US state of
Tennessee
Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...
runs from
Chattanooga
Chattanooga ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States. Located along the Tennessee River bordering Georgia, it also extends into Marion County on its western end. With a population of 181,099 in 2020, ...
to
Jellico by way of
Knoxville
Knoxville is a city in and the county seat of Knox County in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 United States census, Knoxville's population was 190,740, making it the largest city in the East Tennessee Grand Division and the state's ...
. I-75 enters the
East Tennessee
East Tennessee is one of the three Grand Divisions of Tennessee defined in state law. Geographically and socioculturally distinct, it comprises approximately the eastern third of the U.S. state of Tennessee. East Tennessee consists of 33 count ...
region from
Georgia
Georgia most commonly refers to:
* Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States
Georgia may also refer to:
Places
Historical states and entities
* Related to the ...
, following the
Tennessee Valley
The Tennessee Valley is the drainage basin of the Tennessee River and is largely within the U.S. state of Tennessee. It stretches from southwest Kentucky to north Alabama and from northeast Mississippi to the mountains of Virginia and North Car ...
all the way through
Knoxville
Knoxville is a city in and the county seat of Knox County in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 United States census, Knoxville's population was 190,740, making it the largest city in the East Tennessee Grand Division and the state's ...
to near
Rocky Top
"Rocky Top" is an American country and bluegrass song written by Felice and Boudleaux Bryant in 1967 and first recorded by the Osborne Brothers later that same year. The song, which is a city dweller's lamentation over the loss of a simpler a ...
, then climbs into the
Cumberland Mountains
The Cumberland Mountains are a mountain range in the southeastern section of the Appalachian Mountains. They are located in western Virginia, southwestern West Virginia, the eastern edges of Kentucky, and eastern middle Tennessee, including the ...
before crossing over into
Kentucky
Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia to ...
at Jellico.
Of the six states that I-75 traverses, the segment in Tennessee is the shortest, at . Between Chattanooga and Knoxville, I-75 follows the route of
U.S. Route 11 (US 11), and, from Knoxville into Kentucky, it follows the route of
US 25W. Beginning in Chattanooga, I-75 follows the route of
US 41 for the rest of the length to its southern terminus in
Miami
Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a East Coast of the United States, coastal metropolis and the County seat, county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade C ...
.
Route description
Chattanooga
![Cleveland, TN Scenic View](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6d/Cleveland%2C_TN_Scenic_View.jpg)
I-75 enters Tennessee on the eastern side of
East Ridge, a southern suburb of
Chattanooga
Chattanooga ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States. Located along the Tennessee River bordering Georgia, it also extends into Marion County on its western end. With a population of 181,099 in 2020, ...
. Less than into Tennessee is an interchange with
US 41 (unsigned
US 76). About later, at exit 2, is a three-way interchange with the eastern terminus of
I-24
Interstate 24 (I-24) is an Interstate Highway in the Midwestern and Southeastern United States. It runs diagonally from I-57, south of Marion, Illinois, to Chattanooga, Tennessee, at I-75. It travels through Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, ...
, which runs west into downtown Chattanooga and to
Nashville
Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the seat of Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the most populous city in the state, 21st most-populous city in the U.S., and the ...
. At this interchange, I-75 turns northeast, running along the eastern boundary of Chattanooga. Almost later is an interchange with
State Route 320 (SR 320), which connects to
East Brainerd
East Brainerd is an unincorporated community and former census-designated place (CDP) in Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 14,132 at the 2000 census and was not recorded at the 2010 census. It is part of the Chattanoo ...
, and, about a half mile () later is a three-way interchange with the southern terminus of
SR 153, a
controlled-access highway
A controlled-access highway is a type of highway that has been designed for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow—ingress and egress—regulated. Common English terms are freeway, motorway and expressway. Other similar terms i ...
that runs northwest to the
Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport
Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport (Lovell Field) is 5 miles (8 km) east of downtown Chattanooga, in Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States. The airport is owned and operated by the Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport Authority., effective O ...
and crosses the
Tennessee River
The Tennessee River is the largest tributary of the Ohio River. It is approximately long and is located in the southeastern United States in the Tennessee Valley. The river was once popularly known as the Cherokee River, among other names, ...
on the
Chickamauga Dam
The Chickamauga Dam is a hydroelectric dam on the Tennessee River in Chattanooga, Tennessee, United States. The dam is owned and operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority, which built the dam in the late 1930s as part of a New Deal era initiativ ...
. Accessible from the northbound lanes at this interchange is Hamilton Place Boulevard, a connector to
Hamilton Place. The southbound lanes of I-75 are also accessible from an entrance ramp from this road. At this point, I-75 enters a large commercial area dominated by Hamilton Place and has an interchange with Shallowford Road about later. A few miles later, at exit 7, I-75 has an interchange with
US 11 southbound,
US 64 westbound, and
SR 317 westbound and begins a concurrency with these respective routes. Turning slightly northeast, the Interstate crosses a
Norfolk Southern Railway
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I freight railroad in the United States formed in 1982 with the merger of Norfolk and Western Railway and Southern Railway. With headquarters in Atlanta, the company operates 19,420 route miles (31 ...
, and, at exit 9, SR 317 splits off to the east. I-75 then crosses a steep ridge, passing between the
Enterprise South Industrial Park
The Enterprise South Industrial Park, located in Chattanooga, Tennessee consists of . Originally the site of the Volunteer Army Ammunition Plant and operated by the U.S. Department of Defense, a large portion of the property is now home to the Volk ...
to the west and
Collegedale to the east. A few miles later, in
Ooltewah, US 11/US 64 split off at exit 11, where the route narrows to six lanes. I-75 then turns northwest and narrows to four lanes.
Bradley to Loudon counties
![TN I75 North-Exit 49](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e7/TN_I75_North-Exit_49.jpg)
A few miles later, I-75 begins a steep ascent up the western slope of
White Oak Mountain
White Oak Mountain is a mountain located in northwestern Georgia and southeastern Tennessee. The mountain is part of the Ridge and Valley Appalachians.
Description
White Oak Mountain is one of a series of paralleling ridges running approximately ...
, where the northbound lanes receive a
truck climbing lane
Climbing lanes or crawler lanes are a roadway lane design. They allow slower travel for large vehicles, such as large trucks or semi-trailer trucks, ascending a steep grade. Since climbing uphill is difficult for these vehicles, they can travel in ...
. At this point, the Interstate turns northeast and, for the next , traverses east northeast over the top of White Oak Mountain, where it crosses into
Bradley County. I-75 then runs for the next several miles through a predominantly wooded and agricultural area and crossing a few ridges before reaching
Cleveland
Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...
at an interchange with
APD-40
APD-40 or APD 40 refers to a road composed of the U.S. Route 64 Bypass (US 64 Byp.) and a section of State Route 60 (SR 60) which forms a partial beltway around the business district of Cleveland, Tennessee. The route takes its name ...
eastbound (US 64 Bypass
S 64 Byp., a bypass and connector to US 64. Running along the western edge of Cleveland, I-75 has an interchange with
SR 60 about later, also crossing
Candies Creek Ridge
Candies Creek Ridge, also known (more commonly in the past) as Clingan Ridge, is a geographic feature ridge located primarily in Bradley County, Tennessee, on the southeastern border of the state. It overlooks Candies Creek and is in north Clevela ...
at this location, and, less than later, an interchange with
Paul Huff Parkway
The C.S.M. Paul B. Huff Medal of Honor Memorial Parkway, more commonly known as Paul B. Huff Parkway or Paul Huff Parkway, is a major east–west thoroughfare which runs through northern Cleveland, Tennessee. While not a numbered highway, it ser ...
, a major thoroughfare along the northern part of Cleveland. The Interstate then leaves Cleveland and enters rural northern Bradley County, running northeast. Beginning at this point and continuing for nearly , I-75 is very straight and flat, with few curves. Nearly the entirety of this section also contains an extremely wide
median
In statistics and probability theory, the median is the value separating the higher half from the lower half of a data sample, a population, or a probability distribution. For a data set, it may be thought of as "the middle" value. The basic fe ...
, mostly separated by trees. In some locations, the north and southbound lanes are as much as a half mile () apart.
About north of the central business district of Cleveland, I-75 curves to the northeast, crosses the
Hiwassee River
The Hiwassee River has its headwaters on the north slope of Rocky Mountain in Towns County in the northern area of the State of Georgia. It flows northward into North Carolina before turning westward into Tennessee, flowing into the Tennessee Riv ...
into
McMinn County
McMinn County is a county in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is located in East Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, the population was 53,794. The county has a total area of . Most of the county is within the Ridge and Valley province of the Ap ...
, and then curves back to the northwest. This area is extremely susceptible to
fog
Fog is a visible aerosol consisting of tiny water droplets or ice crystals suspended in the air at or near the Earth's surface. Reprint from Fog can be considered a type of low-lying cloud usually resembling stratus, and is heavily influ ...
hazards, which obscures the visibility of drivers, and several bad accidents have occurred on this section as a result. Running through mostly wooded and agricultural areas, I-75 reaches
Athens
Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...
about later and has an interchange with
SR 30, a major east–west corridor in
East Tennessee
East Tennessee is one of the three Grand Divisions of Tennessee defined in state law. Geographically and socioculturally distinct, it comprises approximately the eastern third of the U.S. state of Tennessee. East Tennessee consists of 33 count ...
. Running through northern McMinn County, the Interstate passes near several unincorporated communities and has interchanges with several secondary state highways. Around milemarker 58, I-75 enters
Monroe County Monroe County may refer to seventeen counties in the United States, all named for James Monroe:
* Monroe County, Alabama
*Monroe County, Arkansas
* Monroe County, Florida
* Monroe County, Georgia
*Monroe County, Illinois
*Monroe County, Indian ...
and, a few miles later, passes near the town of
Sweetwater, containing an interchange with
SR 68, another major primary state highway. A few miles later, I-75 crosses into
Loudon County. At exit 72 is an interchange with
SR 72, which connects to
Loudon, and, a few miles later, the highway crosses the
Tennessee River
The Tennessee River is the largest tributary of the Ohio River. It is approximately long and is located in the southeastern United States in the Tennessee Valley. The river was once popularly known as the Cherokee River, among other names, ...
on the
Mitchell W. Stout Memorial Bridges. I-75 then enters a predominantly commercial and residential area and has an interchange with
US 321 and
SR 95 in
Lenoir City. These routes also connect to
Oak Ridge and
Maryville. Curving slightly to the west and then again to the east, I-75 reaches an interchange with I-40 westbound about later, where it begins a
concurrency
Concurrent means happening at the same time. Concurrency, concurrent, or concurrence may refer to:
Law
* Concurrence, in jurisprudence, the need to prove both ''actus reus'' and ''mens rea''
* Concurring opinion (also called a "concurrence"), a ...
with I-40, and the combined routes widen to six lanes. Less than later, about west southwest of
Knoxville
Knoxville is a city in and the county seat of Knox County in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 United States census, Knoxville's population was 190,740, making it the largest city in the East Tennessee Grand Division and the state's ...
, the concurrent routes cross into
Knox County.
Knoxville
![I-40 EB-I-75 NB 1 mile to TN 332](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/73/I-40_EB-I-75_NB_1_mile_to_TN_332.jpg)
Running approximately east-northeast, the two Interstates pass through the western suburbs of Knoxville, including
Farragut and
West Knoxville West Knoxville is a section of Knoxville, Tennessee, US. It west of the city's Downtown Knoxville, downtown area. It stretches from Sequoyah Hills, Tennessee, Sequoyah Hills on the east to the city's border with Farragut, Tennessee, Farragut on the ...
. Along this concurrency, exits are numbered according to I-40 mileage. At exit 374 is an interchange with
SR 131 (Lovell Road), where the highway widens to eight lanes, and, less than later is a four-way interchange with the
Pellissippi Parkway
The Pellissippi Parkway is a major highway in Knox and Blount counties in the Knoxville metropolitan area in Tennessee that extends from State Route 62 at Solway to SR 33 in Alcoa. It provides access to the cities of Oak Ridge ...
(SR 162 westbound, I-140 eastbound), which connects to Oak Ridge to the west and
Maryville to the east. At exit 380 is an interchange with US 11/
US 70 (
Kingston Pike
Kingston Pike is a highway in Knox County, Tennessee, United States, that connects Downtown Knoxville with West Knoxville, Farragut, and other communities in the western part of the county. The road follows a merged stretch of U.S. Route 11 ...
), which connects to the
West Hills neighborhood and
West Town Mall
West Town Mall is a shopping mall located in Knoxville, Tennessee, United States. Opened in August 1972, this one-level mall is located in the western portion of Knoxville in the West Hills community. West Town Mall is located along Interstates 40/ ...
. This section is the most heavily traveled section of highway in Tennessee, with an
annual average daily traffic
Annual average daily traffic, abbreviated AADT, is a measure used primarily in transportation planning, transportation engineering and retail location selection. Traditionally, it is the total volume of vehicle traffic of a highway or road for a y ...
(AADT) volume of more than 210,000 vehicles. About later, at an interchange with the western terminus of
I-640
Interstate 640 (I-640) is an east–west auxiliary Interstate Highway in Knoxville, Tennessee. It serves as a bypass for I-40 around Downtown Knoxville and is also an alternative route for traffic passing between I-40 and I-75. All trucks ...
, the northern bypass around
Downtown Knoxville
Downtown Knoxville is the downtown area of Knoxville, Tennessee, United States. It contains the city's central business district and primary city and county municipal offices. It is also home to several retail establishments, residential buildi ...
, I-75 splits north off of I-40 and onto a concurrency with I-640. Along this concurrency, exits are numbered according to I-640 mileage. Heading north, the Interstates come to an interchange with
SR 62 (Western Avenue) about later. About later is a complicated interchange with
I-275 Interstate 275 (I-275) may refer to:
*Interstate 275 (Florida), a loop through Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Bradenton in Florida
*Interstate 275 (Michigan), a western bypass of Detroit, Michigan
*Interstate 275 (Ohio–Indiana–Kentucky), a full belt ...
southbound, the former route of I-75, and
US 25W, where I-75 splits off and turns northwest.
Clinch River Valley and Cumberland Mountains
Leaving Knoxville, I-75 runs north northwest, crossing several paralleling ridges of the
Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians
The Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians, also called the Ridge and Valley Province or the Valley and Ridge Appalachians, are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian division and are also a belt within the Appalachian Mountains extending ...
. The terrain for the next of I-75 north of Knoxville is characterized mostly by a slight downhill grade. At exit 112 in
Powell
Powell may refer to:
People
* Powell (surname)
* Powell (given name)
* Powell baronets, several baronetcies
*Colonel Powell (disambiguation), several military officers
*General Powell (disambiguation), several military leaders
*Governor Powell (di ...
, I-75 once again has an interchange with SR 131, and the Interstate narrows from six to four lanes. Entering a rural area, I-75 runs along a creek valley for the next several miles that bisects several ridges in a crooked and hazardous segment marked by several S-curves. Maintaining its north-northwesterly direction, I-75 crosses into
Anderson County. Beyond this section, the
Cumberland Mountains
The Cumberland Mountains are a mountain range in the southeastern section of the Appalachian Mountains. They are located in western Virginia, southwestern West Virginia, the eastern edges of Kentucky, and eastern middle Tennessee, including the ...
become visible in the distance. At exit 122, the Interstate has an interchange with
SR 61 near
Clinton
Clinton is an English toponymic surname, indicating one's ancestors came from English places called Glympton or Glinton.Hanks, P. & Hodges, F. ''A Dictionary of Surnames''. Oxford University Press, 1988 Clinton has frequently been used as a given ...
. I-75 then descends sharply into a valley, crossing the
Clinch River
The Clinch River is a river that flows southwest for more than through the Great Appalachian Valley in the U.S. states of Virginia and Tennessee, gathering various tributaries, including the Powell River, before joining the Tennessee River in Ki ...
a few miles later. About later, near the community of
Rocky Top
"Rocky Top" is an American country and bluegrass song written by Felice and Boudleaux Bryant in 1967 and first recorded by the Osborne Brothers later that same year. The song, which is a city dweller's lamentation over the loss of a simpler a ...
, I-75 has interchanges with US 441 and US 25W, beginning a concurrency with the latter. The Interstate then crosses into
Campbell County.
![I 75 Jellico Mountain](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/26/I_75_Jellico_Mountain.jpg)
For approximately the last in Tennessee, I-75 begins a series of three major ascents up the Cumberland Mountains. Although this stretch of highway is considered to be scenic, it is one of the most hazardous stretches, which is characterized by steep ascents (northbound) and steep downhill grades (southbound). About north of Rocky Top, I-75 begins its first major ascent for a few miles before leveling out, and, when the highway approaches the community of
Caryville, US 25W splits off and I-75 runs concurrently with
SR 63. The Interstate then begins a second ascent, which is steeper than the first ascent, adding a truck climbing lane going northbound. About later, the highway levels out onto a plateau and the truck lane terminates. Less than later, SR 63 departs near the unincorporated community of
Pioneer
Pioneer commonly refers to a settler who migrates to previously uninhabited or sparsely inhabited land.
In the United States pioneer commonly refers to an American pioneer, a person in American history who migrated west to join in settling and dev ...
. Traveling through a further sparsely populated rural area marked by dense woodlands, I-75 remains relatively flat for the next few miles before beginning its final major ascent, this time ascending Jellico Mountain, which in turn is part of the
Pine Mountain subrange, and adding a truck climbing lane for the final time. I-75 curves sharply to the northeast, and, about later, it reaches the peak of Jellico Mountain, where the truck lane ends for the final time. I-75 remains at the peak of Jellico Mountain for approximately the next on a segment marked by rolling hills, before beginning the transition into the Cumberland Plateau region. About later, it enters the city of
Jellico where it has an interchange with US 25W. For the next mile () or so, it has a slight uphill grade before entering the hilly terrain of Cumberland Plateau in Kentucky.
History
Early history
The first two segments that became I-75 in Tennessee were located in Knoxville and Chattanooga.
The segment in Knoxville, which was concurrent with I-40, was approximately of a freeway downtown, completed in two phases on November 14, 1952, and December 10, 1955, that was initially known as the Magnolia Avenue Expressway. The segment of this route that became I-75 was located between Unaka Street and a cloverleaf interchange that became the split between I-75 (now I-275) and I-40.
[ The segment in Chattanooga was an approximately relocated segment of US 11 and US 64 between approximately north of the present interchange with those routes and SR 317 (Bonny Oaks Drive) and the interchange with US 11/US 64 (Lee Highway) in Ooltewah. This route, which was initially known as the Summit Bypass, opened to traffic on July 23, 1954, and was constructed as a bypass around a one-lane railroad tunnel in Collegedale that had been the site of many traffic accidents.
Construction of the first original section of I-75 in Tennessee began in late 1956 with short extension of the Summit Bypass.][ Additional segments in Chattanooga and Knoxville were under construction by 1958. The concurrent segment with I-40 between the split near Lenoir City and Downtown Knoxville opened to traffic on December 2, 1961. The route was completed through Chattanooga on July 17, 1963, with the completion of the segment between the split with I-24 and the Summit Bypass north of US 11/US 64 (Bonny Oaks Drive). The short segment between US 321/SR 95 in Lenoir City and the split with I-40 was completed on December 1, 1963. The last segment of what was then I-75 in Knoxville to open was the segment concurrent with I-40 between Liberty Street and Unaka Street on December 4, 1964. The section between Ooltewah and SR 60 in Cleveland opened on October 18, 1966. Like much of the Interstate Highway System in rural Tennessee, priority was generally given to completing rural segments in Middle and ]West
West or Occident is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from east and is the direction in which the Sunset, Sun sets on the Earth.
Etymology
The word "west" is a Germanic languages, German ...
Tennessee over East Tennessee
East Tennessee is one of the three Grand Divisions of Tennessee defined in state law. Geographically and socioculturally distinct, it comprises approximately the eastern third of the U.S. state of Tennessee. East Tennessee consists of 33 count ...
, but the last approximately segment of I-75 in Tennessee, located mostly in Campbell County, was constructed much earlier than most of the rural segments in Tennessee, reportedly due to the influence of then-Representative and later Senator Howard Baker
Howard Henry Baker Jr. (November 15, 1925 June 26, 2014) was an American politician and diplomat who served as a United States Senator from Tennessee from 1967 to 1985. During his tenure, he rose to the rank of Senate Minority Leader and then ...
, who was from that area. By 1963, the section between US 25W in Jellico and the Kentucky state line was open to traffic. The concurrent segment with US 25W, located between Rocky Top (then Lake City) and Caryville, was completed in October 1964. Portions of this segment predated the Interstate System.
The section between US 25W/SR 63 in Caryville and US 25W in Jellico was opened to traffic on October 22, 1968. The segment in Rocky Top, located between US 441 and US 25W, opened on September 1, 1970. In December 1970, the segment between US 25W/I-640 and SR 131 (an approximately portion of which is now I-275) opened. The section between SR 60 and SR 308 in Bradley County began construction in 1968 but was stalled shortly thereafter. Construction resumed in 1972, and the segment was opened to traffic on January 23, 1973. The section between US 25W north of Knoxville and SR 61 in Clinton broke ground in segments, beginning in August 1968, and was opened to traffic on August 1, 1972. The approximately segment between SR 61 in Clinton and US 441 in Rocky Top was completed in September 1973. The section of the highway between SR 308 near Charleston and SR 30 in Athens opened on December 24, 1973, and was completed the following Spring. The last section of I-75 in Tennessee, approximately between SR 30 in Athens and US 321/SR 95 in Lenoir City, opened to traffic on December 20, 1974, in a ceremony officiated by then-Governor Winfield Dunn
Bryant Winfield Culberson Dunn (born July 1, 1927) is an American businessman and politician who served as the 43rd governor of Tennessee from 1971 to 1975. He was the state's first Republican governor in fifty years.Phillip Langsdon, ''Tennessee ...
. The last sections of I-40 and I-81 in Tennessee were opened on this same day.
I-75 originally continued into Downtown Knoxville
Downtown Knoxville is the downtown area of Knoxville, Tennessee, United States. It contains the city's central business district and primary city and county municipal offices. It is also home to several retail establishments, residential buildi ...
then turned to the north at Malfunction Junction, following what is now signed as I-275 Interstate 275 (I-275) may refer to:
*Interstate 275 (Florida), a loop through Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Bradenton in Florida
*Interstate 275 (Michigan), a western bypass of Detroit, Michigan
*Interstate 275 (Ohio–Indiana–Kentucky), a full belt ...
. When the western section of I-640
Interstate 640 (I-640) is an east–west auxiliary Interstate Highway in Knoxville, Tennessee. It serves as a bypass for I-40 around Downtown Knoxville and is also an alternative route for traffic passing between I-40 and I-75. All trucks ...
was completed in 1980, I-75 was moved to overlap the it to divert through traffic away from downtown in preparation for the 1982 World's Fair
The 1982 World's Fair, officially known as the Knoxville International Energy Exposition (KIEE) and simply as Energy Expo '82 and Expo '82, was an international exposition held in Knoxville, Tennessee, United States. Focused on energy and ele ...
. This concurrency is somewhat unusual in that the exit numbers, and milemarkers follow the auxiliary route I-640 instead of I-75 mileage.
Fog hazards
An approximately section of I-75 in northern Bradley and southern McMinn counties, including the bridge over the Hiwassee River, is prone to hazards from dense fog in the morning, which can severely obscure the visibility of drivers. This segment is located near several heavy industries including the Resolute Forest Products
Resolute Forest Products (French: ''Produits forestiers Résolu''), formerly known as AbitibiBowater Inc., is a Canada-headquartered pulp and paper company. Headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, Resolute was formed in 2007 by the merger of Bowater a ...
paper mill, formerly Bowater
Bowater Inc. was a paper and pulp business headquartered in Greenville, South Carolina. It merged with Abitibi-Consolidated in 2007, and the combined company went on to become Resolute Forest Products.
History
The North American assets of Bow ...
, which operates settling ponds along the Interstate. This segment has been the site of several serious multivehicle accidents, the first of which occurred on March 9, 1974, less than three months after the section opened to traffic, and before it had been declared complete.[ This accident involved 18 vehicles, killing three and injuring 10.] A total of six multivehicle accidents occurred along this stretch in the 1970s.[ The worst, which took place on November 5, 1978, involved 62 vehicles and injured 46, and took place on the Hiwassee River Bridge. After a multivehicle accident on April 15, 1979, that involved 18 vehicles, killed three, and injured 14, the ]Tennessee Department of Transportation
The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) is a multimodal agency with statewide responsibilities in roadways, aviation, public transit, waterways, and railroads. The mission of TDOT is to provide a safe and reliable transportation syste ...
(TDOT) identified the stretch as prone to fog hazards and agreed to install warning signs with flashing lights, which would activate if fog was detected. After this, no serious fog related accidents occurred for more than 11 years.
On December 11, 1990, a 99-vehicle accident occurred in this same area, causing 12 deaths and 56 injuries. Extensive investigations followed, and several lawsuits were filed against Bowater, alleging that they had contributed to the fog with their water vapor emissions,[ and the state of Tennessee, alleging that TDOT had failed to install adequate warning systems along this stretch of I-75.][ The existing fog warning lights were reportedly not working the day of the accident.] After settling with the family members of accident victims and survivors in court, TDOT instituted several safety measures along this stretch of highway, including re-striping the roadway with extra markings to make it more visible and installing a computerized fog detection system, which contains a warning system with flashing lights, electronic signs, variable speed limit
Speed limits on road traffic, as used in most countries, set the legal maximum speed at which vehicles may travel on a given stretch of road. Speed limits are generally indicated on a traffic sign reflecting the maximum permitted speed - expres ...
s, and electronic controlled swing gates which block access to the Interstate from six entrance ramps in and near this stretch in the event of dense fog.[ Between mileposts 31 and 39, the highway is designated as a fog advisory zone. The $4.5-million (equivalent to $ in ) system began operation in December 1993, and, in 2006, a $6.6-million (equivalent to $ in ) upgrade was completed which installed video cameras.][ Bowater also agreed to limit the use of their settling pond closest to the Interstate.][ The accident was profiled in a 1997 episode of the show '']Forensic Files
''Forensic Files'', originally known as ''Medical Detectives'', is an American documentary television program that reveals how forensic science is used to solve violent crimes, mysterious accidents, and outbreaks of illness. The show was origi ...
''.
Geological difficulties
The entire section of I-75 in Tennessee north of Knoxville has been subject to many geological difficulties, particularly the last through the Cumberland Mountains.
In March 2005, the southbound lanes of Interstate 75 were shut down between milemarkers 141 to 143 due to a rockslide below the roadway that caused the pavement to partially collapse.
In March 2012, the southbound lanes of the Interstate were again closed to traffic between milemarkers 141 and 143 in Campbell County, Tennessee due to a slide beneath the roadway. This was later followed by a second slide in early May 2012 that caused a portion of the southbound lanes to completely erode and forced the detour lanes to be closed.
In February 2016, a rock slide closed I-75 near Caryville.
Other incidents
On March 28, 1994, a runaway barge that had broken loose from its mooring due to flooding struck the I-75 bridge over the Tennessee River, along with the US 11 bridge and a railroad bridge. The collision broke loose a chunk of concrete from a post, but engineers determined that it caused no major structural damage. I-75 had been closed to traffic on this section in preparation for the collision.
On April 1, 2019, part of the bridge on I-75 southbound over the ramp from I-24 westbound to I-75 northbound at the split in Chattanooga collapsed, injuring one person and blocking traffic for hours. The bridge, built in 1959, is one of the oldest on I-75 in Tennessee, and the interchange is the site of frequent accidents. TDOT's chief engineer said that the collapse was most likely caused by weakening of the bridge's rail that occurred when an illegally oversized load hit the bridge.
Improvements
Throughout its history, I-75 has seen many reconstruction and widening projects in Tennessee.
TDOT first proposed to widen the concurrent segment with I-40 between the Pellissippi Parkway and I-640 to eight lanes in early 1981, which was subsequently approved by the Federal Highway Administration
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is a division of the United States Department of Transportation that specializes in highway transportation. The agency's major activities are grouped into two programs, the Federal-aid Highway Program a ...
(FHWA) on October 9, 1986. However, TDOT initially chose to widen the section between the split with I-40 near Lenoir City and I-640 from four to six lanes, which took place in the earlier to mid-1980s. Between 1990 and 2006, a series of projects widened the segment between SR 131 and I-640 and reconstructed multiple interchanges along this segment.
I-75 was widened from four to six and eight lanes in Chattanooga between the interchange with I-24 and SR 153 in the early 1990s. Between 1998 and 2010, a series of projects reconstructed and widened I-75 between SR 153 and north of US 11/US 64 in Ooltewah. The first of these projects, which began in late 1998 and was completed in 2001, rebuilt the interchange with SR 153, changing the approach of two flyover ramps that connect to I-75 northbound from the left to the right side of the road. This project also modified the interchange with SR 320, removing two cloverleaf loop ramps from I-75 southbound and moving the access to the entrance ramp from I-75 southbound to a point near the interchange with SR 153. The next project, which widened I-75 further between mileposts 6 and 9 and improved the interchange with SR 317, was completed in November 2005. A new interchange was constructed in 2006 to provide access to the Enterprise South Industrial Park
The Enterprise South Industrial Park, located in Chattanooga, Tennessee consists of . Originally the site of the Volunteer Army Ammunition Plant and operated by the U.S. Department of Defense, a large portion of the property is now home to the Volk ...
, which at that time was in the process of redevelopment. This interchange, which became exit 9, now provides access to the Volkswagen Chattanooga Assembly Plant
The Volkswagen Chattanooga Assembly Plant (or Chattanooga Operations LLC) is an American automobile assembly plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The plant was formally announced in July 2008 and was formally inaugurated in May 2011.
Production b ...
and was not opened until 2010. A segment of SR 317 was later routed onto a concurrency of I-75 between exit 11 and this interchange. Exit 9 was designated as the Bredesen–Ramsey Interchange in 2015 in honor of the efforts of then-Governor Phil Bredesen
Philip Norman Bredesen Jr. (born November 21, 1943) is an American politician and businessman who served as the 48th governor of Tennessee from 2003 to 2011. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he was elected in 20 ...
and county Mayor Claude Ramsey
Claude Thomas Ramsey (April 4, 1943 – June 18, 2018) was an American farmer and politician.
Ramsey lived in Chattanooga, Tennessee and was a strawberry farmer. He served on the Hamilton County, Tennessee, Hamilton County Commission and as co ...
to bring Volkswagen to Chattanooga. The last of these projects, which began on November 8, 2007, widened I-75 from approximately mileposts 10 to 13, just north of the interchange of US 11/US 64, and included reconstruction of this interchange, including the addition of a loop ramp, and improvements on this road. This project was completed on August 12, 2010, four months ahead of schedule.
On May 1, 2008, I-75 northbound traffic was rerouted back along its original path in Downtown Knoxville
Downtown Knoxville is the downtown area of Knoxville, Tennessee, United States. It contains the city's central business district and primary city and county municipal offices. It is also home to several retail establishments, residential buildi ...
along I-275 Interstate 275 (I-275) may refer to:
*Interstate 275 (Florida), a loop through Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Bradenton in Florida
*Interstate 275 (Michigan), a western bypass of Detroit, Michigan
*Interstate 275 (Ohio–Indiana–Kentucky), a full belt ...
as part of SmartFix 40, a major construction project that includes closing a portion of I-40. Traffic was rerouted along I-275 as the ramp from I-640 eastbound/I-75 northbound to I-75 northbound is only one lane which causes traffic delays at peak times.
In December 2018, a contract was awarded to rebuild the interchange with I-24 in Chattanooga, with preliminary work beginning in May 2019. The project consisted of eliminating left-hand entrance and exit ramps from I-75 onto I-24, straightening curves, widening I-75 to six lanes through the interchange, widening two ramps from I-75 to I-24 to three lanes, replacing two overpass bridges, and construction of a collector–distributor facility that carries traffic directly from US 41 and the Tennessee welcome center along I-75 southbound, providing direct access to both I-75 southbound and I-24 westbound. Additional space was also provided to widen the remaining ramps between I-75 and I-24 to three lanes, which will be done in the second phase. The project was completed on August 19, 2021, at a cost of $133.5 million, making it the second-most expensive individual contract in state history at the time. The second phase will widen the adjacent segment of I-24 west of the interchange and lengthen auxiliary lanes on I-75 about north of the interchange.[
]
Future
In the mid-1990s, a freeway, referred to as SR 475 (with the intent of being renamed I-475), was proposed as an outer beltway around Knoxville, running north of the city between I-75/I-40 near Farragut, and I-40 near Sevierville. A number of studies were conducted on the proposed route, but the entire project was canceled on June 25, 2010.
TDOT has approved the widening of several segments of I-75 in Tennessee from four to six lanes, including the approximately segment between US 11/US 64 in Ooltewah and APD-40 in Cleveland, the segment between SR 323 near Philadelphia and the interchange with I-40 near Lenoir City, and the segment between SR 131 near Powell and SR 170.
Exit list
The exits north of Knoxville are numbered based on I-75's original path through Downtown Knoxville along I-40 and I-275.
See also
*
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Interstate 75 In Tennessee
Tennessee
75
Transportation in Hamilton County, Tennessee
Transportation in Bradley County, Tennessee
Transportation in McMinn County, Tennessee
Transportation in Monroe County, Tennessee
Transportation in Loudon County, Tennessee
Transportation in Knox County, Tennessee
Transportation in Anderson County, Tennessee
Transportation in Campbell County, Tennessee