Interstate 440 Tennessee

Overview

Interstate 440 provides a southern Bypass of Downtown Nashville and commuter route between I-40 near Sylvan Heights and I-24 near Woodbine. A four level interchange connects the urban loop with I-65 at Berry Hill.

Interstate 440 was originally named "The Four-Forty Parkway". A $154.8 million project reconstructed the entire freeway, expanding I-440 to six overall lanes and replacing the deteriorating concrete roadways. Work also included new lighting and ramp improvements at the exchange with Murphy Road / U.S. 70S (West End Avenue) and U.S. 421 (21st Avenue S).⁴ Nearly 300 trees and 2,623 shrubs were planted as well.⁵

The design-build project commenced in Fall 2018 with the installation of new sound walls. Major construction began in March 2019, which included the removal of the grass median throughout the entire corridor. Work wrapped up two weeks ahead of schedule and the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) held a caravan to celebrate completion of the project on July 2, 2020.⁵

Mileage by State

Tennessee

7.05 mi

Data Sources

December 31, 2025 Interstate Route Log and Finders List

History

The 7.64 mile long loop was proposed for decades before the first layers of concrete were poured.¹ Community opposition to the route arose through the 1970s, with community activists and citizens groups including the "Nashvillians Against I-440" delaying progress on the route. A lawsuit was filed in 1981 to stop construction on I-440, but a judge ruled that the route would not adversely impact the natural environmental and that adequate procedures were followed by the state. Work finally broke ground in 1982, with demolition of homes along Primrose Circle (east of Exit 3) and clearing of a railroad gulch.²

Concerns from area residents led to TDOT adopting extraordinary measures in construction of the road. Blasting efforts to remove rock along the below grade sections of Interstate 440 were required to minimize noise and combustible pollutants. Roadway design was also altered to beautify and better blend in the freeway with the adjacent area. A truck ban was proposed for the route as well.²

Interstate 440 opened initially in 1986². The completed section ran between I-65 and I-24 per the 1986 Rand McNally and Gousha North American Road Atlases. The remaining portion from I-65 to Interstate 40 opened in 1987.³ Outside of pavement repairs, the parkway remained mostly unchanged over the ensuing decades, with the exception of a third eastbound lane added between I-65 and U.S. 31A/41A (Nolensville Pike) in 2012-13.²

East End  ‐ Nashville, TN

East at

A parclo interchange (Exit 6) connects I-440 with U.S. 31/41 Alternate (Nolensville Road), 1.25 miles west of Interstate 24. 09/07/20

West at

Interstate 24 advances 1.75 miles northwest to I-440 west. The ensuing exit is for SR 155 (Briley Parkway). 12/20/23

East at

Branching southward from I-40, succeeding ramps depart from I-24 east for U.S. 41/70S (Murfreesboro Road) and Interstate 440 west. 11/07/11

East End – Past Views

Past Views Gallery (Tap to Expand / Collapse Section)

East at

Eastbound Interstate 440 prior to the lane addition from U.S. 31A/41A (Nolensville Road) east to I-24. Photo by Chris Patriarca (05/18/03).

West at

I-24 meets SR 155 (Briley Parkway) one mile south of Interstate 440 west. Briley Parkway is a freeway loop encircling Nashville north of I-40. This overhead assembly was removed due to the placement of an Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) sign bridge as part of the Interstate 24 SMART Corridor. 09/07/20

West at

Interstate 40 prior to expansion to ten lanes between SR 155 (Briley Parkway) and I-24. Photo by Chris Patriarca (05/18/03).

West End  ‐ Nashville, TN

West at

Interstate 440 turns northward from the Hillsboro-West End neighborhood to I-40 beyond Murphy Road. 09/07/20

East at

Interstate 440 branches south from I-40 one mile east of the exchange with 46th Avenue N at the Nations neighborhood. I-440 east to I-24 west provides a bypass around Downtown Nashville for through traffic. 01/15/19

West at

Westbound I-40 turns south from 28th Avenue N at Hadley Park to Interstate 440 near Sylvan Heights. Photo by Carter Buchanan (06/11/17).

West End – Past Views

Past Views Gallery (Tap to Expand / Collapse Section)

at

The original concrete roadway for I-440 westbound leading toward I-40 from the West End Park neighborhood. Photo by Chris Patriarca (05/18/03).

References

1. "Bygone Days - Aug. 13." Commercial Appeal, The (Memphis, TN), August 13, 2004.
2. "Interstate 440 turns 25 with a history of successes and setbacks." The City Paper (Nashville, TN), August 7, 2011.
3. "I-440 eastbound to be closed 10 weekends into fall." Associated Press State Wire: Tennessee (TN), June 24, 2013.
4. Construction complete on Interstate 440, largest project in TDOT history. (2020, June 25). WJHL TV-11. Retrieved from https://www.wjhl.com/news/regional/tennessee/construction-complete-on-interstate-440-largest-project-in-tdot-history/
5. Lamb, E. (2020, July 7). I-440 Project in Nashville Wraps Ahead of Schedule. Transport Topics. Retrieved from https://www.ttnews.com/articles/i-440-project-nashville-wraps-ahead-schedule