A new reconstruction project at the Hamilton Place Boulevard interchange could be ready to go out to bidders by summer, according to the Tennessee Department of Transportation.
TDOT spokeswoman Rae Anne Bradley described the work planned as two projects to be bid together.
"We are currently acquiring right of way and finalizing project plans," Bradley said in an email. "The projects will be advertised and let this summer. Construction start and completion dates have not yet been determined."
TDOT's Interstate 75-Hamilton Place mall interchange improvements, with a 2022 estimated price tag of $59 million, are intended to create a full-access interchange with I-75 at Hamilton Place Boulevard, according to TDOT. On Friday, Bradley declined to update or confirm the 2022 estimated cost because of the state's desire to maintain the integrity of the bidding process.
Hamilton Place Boulevard improvements
Hamilton Place Boulevard is the road that crosses over I-75 as an on-ramp to the southbound side of I-75 and also runs the length of the Hamilton Place property parallel to I-75, connecting with the mall's roads and parking lots. The new design will completely change the appearance of the interchange.
"The new I-75 southbound access will share an exit with Shallowford Road," Bradley said. "The new ramp will go underneath the Shallowford Road bridge, over the I-75 south entrance ramp from Shallowford Road, and then cross over the interstate near the existing I-75 south entrance ramp from Hamilton Place Boulevard.
"The I-75 new north access will enter the on-ramp at the intersection of Hamilton Place Boulevard and the entrance to the Mall Ring Road. The new ramp will go over the I-75 north exit ramp to Shallowford Road, underneath the Shallowford Road bridge and then merge with the I-75 North Shallowford Road entrance ramp traffic before merging with I-75 north."
The project scope also includes three bridges, at least nine retaining walls, intelligent transportation system capability, lighting and one noise wall at the north end of the project along I-75 southbound to shield an apartment complex and nearby neighborhoods from traffic noise, according to TDOT documents.
The TDOT SmartWay system -- which includes four transportation management centers, 517 cameras, 174 message signs, 1,015 roadway detection systems and 49 video detection systems in Tennessee's four largest cities -- is an example of the state's intelligent transportation system, according to officials. Plans for the project include a system of live cameras, large electronic message boards and traffic speed sensors to monitor traffic through a management center and reduce traffic congestion.
TDOT officials identified challenges and issues involved in the project, according to plan documents. Due to the project providing access to a major shopping area, traffic on Hamilton Place Boulevard and all ramp access to Hamilton Place Boulevard and Shallowford Road must be maintained between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day throughout the life of the project, documents state. Some of the features to be built will require temporary closure of the existing on-ramp from Hamilton Place Boulevard to I-75 south.
Hamilton Place mall also will be completing a project on its parking lot and private roads to match the new configuration of Hamilton Place Boulevard, documents state. Work on the Hamilton Place Boulevard project will need to be coordinated with the mall's adjacent project.
The city of Chattanooga's portion of the work links the interchange and Hamilton Place Boulevard to the mall's roads, Interim Deputy Administrator of Transportation and Street Maintenance Ben Taylor said Friday in an email.
"The city's project will improve Hamilton Place Boulevard from the state's work on the I-75 off-ramp to Bams Drive," Taylor said. "The city is currently acquiring right-of-way for the project. The project is expected to be bid during summer 2023."
The improvements to Hamilton Place Boulevard include additional travel lanes, turn lanes, sidewalk and vehicle detection cameras for intersection operations, he said. Taylor said there are no cost estimates yet, but the work is funded as part of the Transportation Improvement Program with the funding being 80% federal and 20% local. The city project will be bid along with the TDOT project, and the same contractor will coordinate the two portions of work.
"The city is pleased to be working in partnership with TDOT to improve this connection," Taylor said. "Bidding the state's off-ramp work with the city street improvements should save money and reduce the overall length of time that traffic is disrupted. Once complete, we expect this project to reduce congestion at the Shallowford Road interchange."
Other concerns officials address in project documents relate to the proximity of a residential neighborhood near the work, requiring that the piles will not be allowed to be driven at night, as well as periodic lane reductions and closures. Officials also note the project will be adjacent to the work on phase II of the I-75/I-24 interchange reconstruction project to complete ongoing improvements at the infamous interchange known as the split.
"We will include language in the contract for the I-75/Hamilton Place Boulevard projects that the contractor must coordinate their work zone, including any lane closures, with the ongoing I-75/I-24 phase II project. In addition, TDOT has been coordinating with Hamilton Place mall officials regarding planned construction on their private roads and parking lots and how to best maintain traffic flow and access during their high-volume seasons," TDOT Region 2 Assistant Chief Engineer Joe Deering said Friday in an emailed statement.
I-75/I-24 split phase II
Charleston, Tennessee-based Wright Brothers Construction Co. is working through final design plans and development on the $161 million, second phase of the split project, according to Bradley.
"Early construction work is planned to begin late spring 2023 at South Moore Road," she said. "This will allow (Wright Brothers) to begin important construction work while finishing final design for the rest of the project. Generally, heavy roadway construction is planned to begin late 2023."
The South Moore Road bridge and McBrien Road bridge will be replaced to accommodate the widening of I-24 below each bridge, Bradley said.
TDOT has a demonstrated history of successful project coordination, according to Deering, who said there should be no problems coordinating the work if projects overlap.
"A recent example of this would be the I-24 bridge replacement projects at Germantown Road and Belvoir Avenue and phase I of the I-75 at I-24 interchange," Deering said. "Both projects were large and high profile in nature with significant traffic impacts. TDOT worked with the contractors to facilitate any and all necessary lane closures, and as a result, both projects were completed on schedule and within budget. We're confident we'll be able to replicate similar outcomes on these two upcoming projects."
If the two projects coincide, frequent coordination will be required between the two projects; however, the split contractor, Wright Brothers, will have priority for lane closures on I-75, Hamilton Place Boulevard project documents state.
It's unclear whether both projects will be happening at the same time, Bradley said.
Contact Ben Benton at bbenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6569.