Tennessee is advancing a $9.2 billion project to add optional lanes to approximately 26 mi. of Interstate 24 between Nashville and Interstate 840, with a public-private partnership expected to finance, build and maintain the improvements.
According to an Aug. 19 announcement from Gov. Bill Lee, the state's Transportation Modernization Board approved DriveTN as the Tennessee Department of Transportation's (TDOT) selected private-sector partner for the I-24 Southeast Choice Lanes project. The proposal also is projected to generate $24.8 billion in concession value for Tennessee, which could be used to support additional transportation infrastructure projects across the state.
DriveTN includes Cintra, Transurban, Tikehau Star/Infra/Capital, Ferrovial, Webber and AECOM. Under the proposed arrangement, the partnership would design, build, finance, operate and maintain the project. TDOT will work with DriveTN and the U.S. Department of Transportation's Build America Bureau to finalize an agreement, according to the governor's office.
The proposal represents what the state describes as the largest public-private partnership concession to date for an interstate Choice Lanes project in the United States.
Additional Lanes for I-24
The project calls for new Choice Lanes in each direction along I-24 between Nashville and I-840. Existing general-purpose lanes will remain available to motorists, while drivers will have the option of using the additional lanes for a faster, more reliable trip.
According to TDOT's Choice Lanes program information, the additional lanes use pricing to manage demand and help maintain more consistent travel speeds when adjacent lanes are congested. The agency describes the concept as different from a conventional toll road, where motorists are required to pay to use the roadway.
TDOT said Choice Lanes typically are designed to maintain speeds of approximately 45 mph during rush-hour periods, even when traffic in existing lanes is moving slowly or has stopped. The program also is intended to reduce congestion-related idling, improve air quality and provide more reliable travel times for transit buses.
Revenue collected from drivers using the optional lanes can help offset project costs, according to TDOT.
Design Aims to Limit Community Impacts
The state's procurement process challenged prospective partners to deliver financial value while minimizing impacts on surrounding communities and improving transportation connections throughout the corridor.
According to the governor's announcement, DriveTN proposed a net reduction in overall right-of-way impacts, avoiding impacts to Noble Place Townhomes and redesigning Bell Road to avoid impacts to the Pan-Asia Supermarket. The proposal also eliminates the need to rebuild the Hickory Hollow Parkway Bridge.
Additional commitments include improved access and connectivity throughout the corridor, park-and-ride facilities and support for future transit integration.
“The responsibility now is to verify the commitments, complete the required reviews, finalize the agreement and deliver as promised,” TDOT Commissioner Will Reid said in the announcement.
The Transportation Modernization Board also authorized further development of three potential corridor enhancements. These include a northern extension along I-24 and I-65 through downtown Nashville, an eastern extension along I-40 beyond Nashville International Airport and a southern extension along I-24 through Murfreesboro and I-840 toward U.S. 41.
According to TDOT, Choice Lanes are being evaluated in Regions 1, 2 and 3 as part of broader efforts to address urban congestion. Additional projects remain in early development, with feasibility studies and discussions with potential private-sector partners helping determine which corridors could support the approach.
The I-24 project advances under Tennessee's Transportation Modernization Act of 2023, which established a framework for innovative transportation delivery and private-sector partnerships. The state said the next step is to complete the necessary reviews and finalize the agreement before moving forward with project delivery.
For more information, visit tn.gov/tdot/projects/region-3/interstate-24-choice-lanes-.html.
