Skip to main content

Interstate 40 Knoxville, TN SmartFIX40 Construction Photos & Video

The SmartFIX40 project in Knoxville is underway and is noteworthy because the project closes Interstate 40 through downtown Knoxville for approximately 14 months. The I-40 shutdown began not that long ago on May 1st and last through June 2009. TDOT is rebuilding from the ground up I-40 from James White Parkway (Exit 388) to Hall of Fame Drive (Exit 389).

TDOT says that the 14 month total closure will save two to three years in construction time vs. traditional piecemeal methods.

During the closure, this segment of I-40 will be widened to six through lanes and four auxiliary lanes. In addition to interstate improvements, work will include the construction of nine bridges, 14 retaining walls and three noise walls. Additionally, two existing bridges will be demolished, 12 side roads will be completed and seven new ramps will be constructed.
Through traffic on I-40 heading in both the eastbound and westbound direction will be detoured onto I-640 (the northern bypass arc of Knoxville.) Local traffic into downtown will still be able to use the stretch of I-40 through the construction zone.

Joe Babyak was out in Knoxville this weekend and took some photos and video of the SmartFix40 construction zone.

All photos are taken from the Magnolia Ave. area.







Video:

Comments

Billy said…
That's good footage! It looks like pretty much anywhere along Magnolia Avenue would be good for viewing the road work during the meet.

For those of you not in the know, I am planning a road meet in Knoxville centered around SmartFix40. It will likely take place some time around October since the work will have progressed much more by then. Also, for those who want to spend more time in the Greater Knoxville area, folks may choose to view the changing leaves in the mountains. I'll come up with a firm date a couple of months in advance, so if you're interested in viewing this massive project, we;d love to see you!
Anonymous said…
looks like they are movong fast on this it will be nice after it is done.... nice job.. the youtube clip was awesome

Popular posts from this blog

The Pollasky Bridge

The Pollasky Bridge near modern day Friant is a ruined highway bridge which was completed during early 1906 as part of the Fresno-Fresno Flats Road.  The structure is one of the oldest known arch concrete spans to have been constructed in California.  The bridge briefly carried California State Route 41 following the destruction of the Lanes Bridge in 1940.  The Pollasky Bridge itself was destroyed by flooding during 1951, but the ruins can still be found on the Madera County side of the San Joaquin River.   Pictured as the blog cover is the Pollasky Bridge as it was featured in the 1913 book "The Concrete Bridge."  The structure can be seen crossing the San Joaquin River near Friant below on the 1922 United States Geological Survey Map.   Part 1; the history of the Pollasky Bridge The Pollasky Bridge site is near modern day Friant of Fresno County.  The community of Friant was established as Converse Ferry during 1852 on the San Joaquin Rive...

Trimmer Springs Road (Fresno County)

Trimmer Springs Road is an approximately forty-mile rural highway located in Fresno County.  The corridor begins near in California State Route 180 in Centerville and extends to Blackrock Road at the Kings River in the Sierra Nevada range near the Pacific Gas & Electric Company town of Balch Camp. The roadway is named after the former Trimmer Springs Resort and was originally constructed to facilitate access to the Sanger Log Flume.  Trimmer Springs Road was heavily modified and elongated after construction of Pine Flat Dam broke ground in 1947.   Part 1; the history of Trimmer Springs Road Much of the original alignment of Trimmer Springs Road was constructed to facilitate access to the Sanger Log Flume.   The  Kings River Lumber Company  had been established in 1888 in the form of a 30,000-acre purchase of forest lands in Converse Basin.  This purchase lied immediately west of Grant Grove and came to be known as "Millwood."  The co...

When was Ventura Avenue east of downtown Fresno renamed to Kings Canyon Road? (California State Route 180)

California State Route 180 was one of the original Sign State Routes designated in August 1934.  The highway east of Fresno originally utilized what was Ventura Avenue and Dunlap Road to reach what was then General Grant National Park.  By late year 1939 the highway was extended through the Kings River Canyon to Cedar Grove.   In 1940 General Grant National Park would be expanded and rebranded as Kings Canyon National Park.  The Kings Canyon Road designation first appeared in publications circa 1941 when the California State Route 180 bypass of Dunlap was completed.  Kings Canyon Road ultimately would replace the designation of Dunlap Road from Dunlap to Centerville and Ventura Avenue west to 1st Street in Fresno.   The Kings Canyon Road would remain largely intact until March 2023 when the Fresno Council designated Cesar Chavez Boulevard.  Cesar Chavez Boulevard was designated over a ten-mile corridor over what was Kings Canyon Road, remaini...