I-24 Choice Lanes meetings: Dates, places
Commuters who drive Interstate 24 between Nashville and Murfreesboro will get their first public look at the developer's plans for the corridor's new toll lanes later this month.
The Tennessee Department of Transportation announced Tuesday that it will host two community open houses on the I-24 Southeast Choice Lanes project and introduce DriveTN, the company selected to build and run the lanes.
When and where
Both meetings run from 3 to 7 p.m. and use a drop-in, open-house format, so you can stop by any time during those hours.
Tuesday, Nov. 17: Trevecca Nazarene University, Jackson Center for Music and Worship, Zelma Auditorium, 502 Lester Ave., Nashville.
Wednesday, Nov. 18: Smyrna Event Center, 100 Sam Ridley Parkway E., Smyrna.
TDOT said the same information will be shown at both meetings, including DriveTN's conceptual design and projected schedule. Project materials will also be posted on the project website for people who cannot attend.
People with a disability who need aids or services to take part can contact TDOT ADA Coordinator Shanna Chevalier at least 10 days before the meeting at Shanna.Chevalier@tn.gov or 615-741-0465 (TTY Relay 877-831-0298).
What the project is
The project adds two new price-managed lanes, which TDOT calls Choice Lanes, in each direction on I-24 between I-40 in Nashville and I-840 in Rutherford County, a stretch of about 26 miles. Drivers can choose to pay to use the new lanes or stay in the existing free lanes.
TDOT says that section of I-24 carries about 150,000 to 180,000 vehicles a day, including up to 25,000 trucks.
Timeline and cost
TDOT and DriveTN reached commercial close on Sept. 30. Financial close is expected in the third quarter of 2027, and the lanes are expected to open in 2035.
Construction is estimated at $9.2 billion, about seven times TDOT's annual budget for projects and programs, according to the department. TDOT says the 50-year deal carries a $24.8 billion concession value, with about $7.7 billion in payments to the state expected between financial close and the end of construction.
TDOT has said DriveTN's design would cause less traffic disruption than other proposals and would not require taking the Pan Asian market off Bell Road or the Noble Place Townhomes. Separately, a competing bidder sued the department last month seeking release of contract and payment records, WSMV reported.
Before you go
Traffic on I-24 near the Trevecca and Smyrna sites is typically heaviest late in the afternoon, so arriving closer to 3 p.m. or after 6 p.m. may mean less time in traffic. Both venues are a short drive from I-24 exits.
Heading out tonight? Rain moves into the metro after 9 p.m., so check our Nashville rain timing and flood risk forecast before Wednesday's commute, and see more Nashville-area traffic news.