The switch to the new final alignment at the $132.6 million Interstate 75/Interstate 24 interchange was completed by Saturday morning with cars and trucks traveling the new pattern through the infamous "Split" just north of the Tennessee-Georgia state line.
According to the Tennessee Department of Transportation, work happening at the same time this weekend just a mile away at the $32.9 million project to replace I-24's bridges over Germantown Road is also ahead of schedule.
"They got done at 7:30 this morning," TDOT spokesperson Jennifer Flynn said Saturday of the work at the Split. "Traffic is very congested out there because people are probably confused, but if they follow the new directional signs they'll be okay."
The big move for northbound I-75 drivers heading for I-24 West toward Nashville and Birmingham is the exit to I-24 West nows leads off to the right, improving the odd, left-hand exit motorists have traditionally used over the decades. The contractor on that project is Marietta, Georgia-based C.W. Contracting Co.
Meanwhile, work on I-24 at Germantown Road is still directing traffic off of the interstate onto North Terrace and South Terrace to get around the project and back on the interstate.
That work was scheduled to be finished by Monday morning's rush hour and appears to be on track, according to officials. The contractor on that project is Bell and Associates Construction.
Contact Ben Benton at bbenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6569. Follow him on Twitter @BenBenton or at www.facebook.com/benbenton1.