Interstate 275 Tennessee
Overview
Interstate 275 in the city of Knoxville, Tennessee links I-40 and U.S. 441 (Henley Street) at Downtown with I-75/640 and U.S. 25W (Clinton Highway) at Inskip. Paralleling a Norfolk Southern Railroad line, the urban freeway runs between the Mechanicsville and Lonsdale neighborhoods to the west and the Happy Holler, and Lincoln Park communities to the east. The north end of I-275 crosses Sharp Ridge through Sharp Gap.
Mileage by State
| Tennessee | 2.98 mi |
Data Sources
December 31, 2021 Interstate Route Log and Finders List
History
Interstate 275 in Knoxville was constructed in 1958 as part of the I-75 mainline through Knoxville. Changes to I-75 were made ahead of the December 1980 scheduled opening for the western leg of I-640 between I-40/75 near Marble City and I-75/U.S. 25W by Inskip. The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) requested approval from the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) to renumber I-75 from I-40 in the Downtown area to I-640 north of Sharp Ridge as I-275 and reroute I-75 along the western leg of I-640. The application sent December 6, 1979 cited the following reasons:
1. By routing I-75 along the western leg of I-640 rather than its existing route through town, travel distance can be reduced by 1.79 miles, a substantial savings in travel time and fuel consumption.
2. At the present time through traffic on I-75 must traverse nine interchanges and one major directional interchange along its route through town. The proposed routing along I-640 includes only two interchanges. With less merging and diverging traffic conditions, the routing along I-640 would be desirable from a safety standpoint.
3. With this change, elimination of overlapping major Interstate routes, (I-40, I-75) would result in the downtown Knoxville area.
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and TDOT came to an agreement following communications between November 1979 and January 1980. The I-75/640 overlap would be attributed solely to I-75's mileage, and I-275 established as proposed. The changes were approved by AASHTO on June 24, 1980. The realignment of I-75 onto the bypass preceded reconstruction of I-40 east from Marble City to I-275 and the 1982 World's Fair held in Knoxville.
U.S. 25W previously overlapped with I-75 north from I-40 outside Downtown Knoxville to the exchange with I-640 and Clinton Highway. When I-640 was completed to the northeast, U.S. 25W was rerouted from U.S. 11/70 (Magnolia Avenue) west to I-40 and from I-75 north. Central Street paralleling I-275 to the east is the original alignment of U.S. 25W.
A $20 million reconstruction project along Interstate 275 took place between December 1, 2006 and January 26, 2008. Work expanded portions of the freeway to six lanes and reconfigured three interchanges from cloverleaves to diamonds. The interchange modifications increased the ingress and egress movements from 300 feet to 1,200 feet.1 This upgrade was completed ahead of the "Smartfix40" widening of Interstate 40 east from Downtown Knoxville.
North End 
‐ Inskip, Knoxville, TN
North at
Interstate 275 advances two miles north from Oldham Avenue at Western Heights in Knoxville to the systems interchange (Exit 3) with I-75/640 and U.S. 25W (Clinton Highway). 11/03/11
South at
Interstate 75 comprises a six lane freeway through the northern suburbs of Knoxville between Exit 112 at SR 131 and the multi level exchange with I-275 south and I-640/U.S. 25W. 01/16/19
North East at
I-75/640 arc 3.60 miles northeast from I-40 to West Haven and I-275/U.S. 25W at Exit 3. The succeeding ramp (Exit 3B) connects with Gap Road north to U.S. 25W (Clinton Highway). 08/23/03
West North at
I-640/U.S. 25W straddle Sharp Ridge to the north from Fountain City in Knoxville west to I-75/275 at Exit 3A. 01/16/19
South at
U.S. 25W (Clinton Highway) ties into systems interchange joining I-75/275/640 from a commercial arterial to the west. Although omitted here, U.S. 25W combines with I-640 east along the succeeding loop ramp. Clinton Highway converges with I-275 at a wye. Photo by Chris Patriarca (03/22/03).
North End – Past Views
Past Views Gallery (Tap to Expand / Collapse Section)
North at
A cloverleaf interchange joined I-275 north beyond the S-curve by Coster Yards with Heiskell Avenue to Central Street ahead of Exit 3 with I-75/640-U.S. 25W. Photo by Chris Patriarca (03/22/03).
South at
These overheads at the Inskip Drive overpass for the exchange joining I-75 south with I-275/640 were replaced in kind. 08/23/03
North East at
A diagrammatic overhead replaced the individual sign panels for the split of I-640 east and I-75 north at Exit 3B for Gap Road. 08/23/03
West North at
Replaced diagrammatic sign posted ahead of Exits 3 AB for I-75 north, I-275 south and U.W. 25W (Clinton Highway) north. Photo by Carter Buchanan (05/01/05).
South End 
‐ Downtown Knoxville, TN
South at
Interstate 275 navigates through an S-curve between Murphy Avenue at the Beaumont neighborhood and Second Creek. The exchange with I-40 and U.S. 441 (Henley Street) follows in 1.25 miles. 11/08/09
North at
U.S. 441 (Henley Street) runs along the Knoxville Convention Center north from Cumberland Avenue (former U.S. 11/70) to the entrance ramp for I-275 north. 01/16/19
East at
Interstate 40 navigates through a directional T interchange (Exit 386B) with U.S. 129 (Alcoa Highway) one mile west of I-275. 01/16/19
West at
Turning south from the Edgewood neighborhood toward Interstate 275, I-40 navigates through succeeding interchanges with Hall of Fame Drive and SR 158 (James White Parkway) west to Downtown Knoxville. 06/25/12
South End – Past Views
Past Views Gallery (Tap to Expand / Collapse Section)
South at
Prior to 2007, a series of three compact cloverleaf interchanges, including Exits 1 C/D for Oldham Avenue, joined I-275 with adjacent Knoxville neighborhoods. These were reconfigured by 2008 to eliminate weaving traffic patterns. 08/23/03
East at 
Prior to the SmartFix40 reconstruction of Interstate 40, the eastbound mainline reduced to just two through lanes at the exchange with I-275. Photo by Chris Patriarca (03/22/03).
West at
One half mile ahead of I-275 along I-40 west prior to the SmartFix40 reconstruction. Photo by Chris Patriarca (03/22/03).
References
- "Highway headaches Motorists will get plenty before latest interstate changes finished." Knoxville News-Sentinel (TN), February 11, 2008.
- Dan Moraseski, email: "ghost ramp near I-275 south end." September 3, 2003.