Update (10:52 a.m. 10/26/23)

I 75 South has re-opened

OriginaI: -75 South is closed at MM 60 in Monroe County due to an overturned tractor-trailer. That’s near the Sweetwater exit.

The Tennessee Department of Transportation says this is a Haz-Mat situation. Traffic is being diverted in the area.

UPDATE (10:33 a.m. 10/26/23) : All lanes of Interstate 40 East have re-opened at Mile Marker 411 but some congestion is still being reported in the area.

Original: Also, TDOT is reporting one lane of Interstate 40 East in Jefferson has reopened at mile marker 411, past the Dollywood exit.

The left two lanes and shoulder are still closed due to an earlier Multi-Vehicle Crash.

Traffic is reportedly backing up over 4 miles. Please use caution in the area.

Current Status: October 25, 2023

Bridge repair work scheduled for October 27-October 30 has been postponed and will be rescheduled in the weeks to come.  

October 9, 2023

In June 2022, the Tennessee Department of Transportation began rehabilitation of the I-640 corridor between the North Broadway Interchange and the I-40 Interchange (East of downtown Knoxville).  The rubbilization efforts required extensive work to remove existing asphalt pavement layers and beak the underlying concrete layers into a gravel base.  Once rubbilization of the concrete was complete, crews began placing intermediate asphalt pavement layers. 

During winter of 2022, several of the bridges within the project limits began to show significant potholing, which prompted further investigation of the bridge decks for potential repair.  The Department added repair work to the bridges within the corridor and the contractor has been coordinating with the railroad to gain proper access and approvals that will allow them to proceed.

Due to the added scope of work and weather limitations for both paving and striping, the contract completion date has been extended to August 31, 2024. There will be a milestone completion for returning traffic to its original configuration on intermediate pavement layer prior to the end of this year’s paving season. The contractor will then return in the Spring of 2024 to complete the final surface paving and permanent striping.  

Over the course of the next six weeks, the contractor will be performing bridge repair work as traffic runs in its current configuration. Once Phase 1 bridge work is complete and all intermediate pavement layers have been placed, there will be a traffic shift to allow the contractor access to the other half of the bridges. The contractor will complete Phase 2 bridge work and return traffic to its original configuration following its completion.  

Intermittent weekend lane closures to allow the contractor access to I-640 bridges over Rutledge Pike are tentatively scheduled for Friday, October 20 through Sunday, October 22 and Friday, October 27 through Sunday, October 29, weather permitting. We will have more information regarding these traffic impacts in the days to come.

Construction start:  July 2022

Estimated completion: August 31, 2024

History and Background

I-640 was designed and constructed in the late 1970s as an east-west loop around the city of Knoxville. Upon completion of the roadway in 1982, it linked I-40 with US 441, I-75/I-275, and other routes in the city, just in time for the World’s Fair.

Today, traffic counts along the interstate connector average between 66,000 and 87,000 vehicles per day. The existing roadway is three lanes in each direction and much of the existing road surface is in substandard condition and needs to be repaired or replaced. An extensive pavement project is needed for the six-lane facility.

An investigation is underway following an early morning deadly fire in North Knox County (Wednesday).

Rural Metro responding to reports of a possible explosion and single wide trailer fire in the 5500 Ft. Sumter Road. The Knox County Sheriff’s Office was told a woman lived there and wasn’t able to get out due to the intense fire. Crews found a person dead inside, it’s not yet known if it is the resident.