Last week, the director of Region 2 for the Tennessee Department of Transportation told 33 members of the Chamber of Commerce's MidTown Council that the rebuild of the Interstate 75/Interstate 24 interchange at the Tennessee-Georgia state line is on schedule to meet its completion date of June 2021.
Joe Deering, who oversees TDOT operations for 24 counties in East Tennessee, told the Chamber council that 70% of the $132 million project will be completed before any lane closures take place, which isn't expected to occur until summer/fall 2020. Geotechnical improvements are ongoing, with construction expected to begin late this fall.
An estimated 124,000 vehicles a day travel the split, which is known for its daily backups, outdated merge lanes and frequent crashes.
"This is an important project, and it is on schedule," Deering said prior to his presentation. "It is just one of several important projects in Hamilton County. "
He outlined nine different TDOT projects either under construction or in the preliminary design phase that go from the Georgia state line near Wildwood, Georgia, to Apison Pike in Collegedale, which is entering Phase III of the two-lane highway's widening.
Of specific interest to the MidTown Chamber council was the preliminary, ongoing planning to widen Ooltewah-Ringgold Road from two to four lanes between East Brainerd and Collegedale, as well as the eventual widening of the ridge cut going into and out of downtown Chattanooga.
"I know when we talk about three or four years out on a project that it sounds like a long time, but for us, it is like tomorrow," said Deering.
The 24/75 split project's contractor, C.W. Matthews Contracting Co. of Marietta, Georgia, is the same contractor that rebuilt Exit 1 in East Ridge. The new project was awarded in December 2018 and Matthews has 860 days to complete it. Deering said.
The contractor will widen the existing roads and ramps, reconfigure the I-24 ramps to enter and exit I-75 from the right side, shift the interchange to the west, and modify the traffic circulation surrounding the Welcome Center near East Ridge, according to an earlier TDOT release.
Aside from the interchange work, the project includes new, longer bridges over I-24 at Spring Creek, McBrien and Moore roads so additional traffic lanes can pass under them.
"The contractor is experienced at doing this kind of work, and the unique thing about the design is that they are going to do the majority of work outside the traffic," said Deering, adding that the contractor has only four weekends when the interstate can close. "This is a pretty quick, aggressive schedule for a project this size."
"The ramps will be allowed to be totally closed, one at a time, for up to 4 total weekend closures (a weekend is defined as 9:00 PM Friday night to 6:00 AM Monday morning)," Region 2 community representative Rae Anne Bradley wrote in a follow-up email. "Ramps include: I-24 EB to I-75 NB, I-24 EB to I-75 SB, I-75 NB to I-24 WB, and I-75 SB to I-24 WB. The mainline of I-75 will never be fully closed, but will have nighttime lane closures. During the ramp closures, traffic will be detoured to Exit 1 or Exit 3 (depending on which ramp is closed) to get turned around and sent the direction they were headed."
Deering said the traffic design of the interchange rebuild has reached the point where TDOT can begin communicating with motorists about lane shifts and lane closures, and the state agency is committed to doing.
"Having come from Nashville, I don't think the traffic around the split is that bad," said Joe Petro, the manager of Baker Roofing Co. who travels the split daily from his home in Ooltewah. "I'm sure there are going to be some problems getting through there at different points in time, but it will be worth it when it is done."
Email Davis Lundy at davislundy@aol.com.