NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A key stretch of Interstate 65 just south of downtown Nashville is shut down in both directions for the weekend while state crews tear out the deck of the Hamilton Avenue bridge, and it is not scheduled to reopen until 5 a.m. Monday.
The Tennessee Department of Transportation closed the interstate at 8 p.m. Friday between the I-40 interchange at Exit 210 and Exit 80, just short of where I-440 splits off. That piece of road ties three of the busiest highways in Middle Tennessee together, so delays are likely to ripple across the area.
TDOT also widened the plan with ramp closures. The northbound I-65 entrance from Armory Drive is closed, and so are both the northbound and southbound entrances from Powell Avenue. The agency said shutting those ramps keeps drivers moving from I-65 to I-440 from running into conflicts while the work goes on.
Electronic message boards and overhead signs are pointing drivers to marked detours. TDOT is urging motorists to build in extra time or pick another route entirely.
The overpass has been off limits to cars and people on foot since September, when a TDOT HELP operator spotted a badly worn section of deck measuring 17 feet by 24 feet. The bridge dates to 1970.
The work will not end with this weekend. Once I-65 reopens, drivers should expect lanes to close on and off overnight, between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m., while the new deck is built. TDOT expects the repair to wrap up in December, and Hamilton Avenue stays closed until then. To get across the interstate in the meantime, use Chestnut Street or Wedgewood Avenue.
Section: More Nashville TN crime news
Filed under: Nashville TN Traffic News
