MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Tennessee Department of Transportation said work originally scheduled to begin last week along I-55 will begin Monday, June 13, 2022.
Those who are plan on traveling on I-55 might want to start planning an alternative route. The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) will be installing a new barrier rail on the interstate.
Closures on the southbound lanes are to be expected starting at 8 p.m. The area affected is said to be towards the bridge and ending near Wisconsin Avenue. Construction begins Monday night, but will last at least until 6 a.m. the next morning.
The original start day was moved due to severe weather last week.
The entire project is expected to be completed by 2026.
The improvements to the I-55 and Crump Boulevard Interchange include constructing new through travel lanes for mainline I-55 traffic, which will eliminate the requirement for interstate traffic to use single-lane, low-speed ramps to continue on I-55.
A new multi-lane roundabout intersection will be constructed to replace the existing cloverleaf interchange and provide improved access to and from I-55 and existing local roadways. The project will also include repairs to the I-55 river bridge deck.
TDOT said, "the existing interchange cannot handle the current and projected traffic volumes in the area. The purpose of the proposed project is to improve the I-55 / Crump Boulevard interchange by replacing the existing cloverleaf design with a new configuration that reduces crashes, relieves congestion, and provides route continuity for I-55."