Interstate 24 Shellmound Bridges Project

History and Background

The project replaces the two bridges serving the I-24 and Shellmound Road interchange area. Construction will be sequenced so that traffic can be maintained while the existing bridges are demolished, new bridge substructures and superstructures are built, roadway work is completed, and the final pavement and markings are installed.

Public Involvement and Engagement

The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) will host a Design Public Meeting on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, at Jasper City Hall, located at 32 Courthouse Square, Jasper, TN 37347, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. CT,  for the DB2503 I-24 Shellmound Bridges Project (Project). 

This meeting will be held to provide the public an opportunity to review the latest Project information and upcoming construction activities, including timelines and anticipated detour routes. The detour routes will be installed, maintained and removed as needed for each bridge for the duration of the Project. Closure durations on Shellmound Road are subject to change but are anticipated to begin during the month of December 2026 (I-24 Westbound Bridge over Shellmound Road) and from December 2026 through August 2027 (Shellmound Road Bridge over I-24 Eastbound (TMA)). Access to properties along Shellmound Road will be provided at all times. Connector road improvements will be in place prior to implementing the detour routes.

Information shared at this meeting will also be published and made available online as part of a virtual public meeting on the project website: https://www.tn.gov/content/tn/tdot/alternative-delivery/design-build/db2503.html. The virtual public meeting will be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and will offer the same information and opportunities to participate and provide feedback as the in-person meeting.

The meeting will be in person and will follow an open-house format with no formal presentation. The public is welcome to visit any time during the scheduled hours to view exhibits, ask questions and offer comments. TDOT representatives will be available to provide information on various aspects of the proposed Project. Anyone with questions regarding the meeting should contact:

  Chanel Hippix, PMP, TDOT Project Manager
(629) 237-9482, Chanel.Hippix@tn.gov

Persons who require disability-related accommodations (e.g., a sign language interpreter, translator or accessible materials) to participate in this meeting should contact Ms. Shanna Chevalier, ADA Coordinator, at (615) 741-0465 or via TTY Relay (877) 831-0298 no less than ten (10) days prior to the meeting, or by email at Shanna.Chevalier@tn.gov.

Comment forms will be available to make written statements at public meetings. Submit comments to the following address:

DB2503 I-24 Shellmound Bridges Project Comments
Tennessee Department of Transportation
312 Rosa L. Parks Avenue, 24th Floor
Nashville, TN 37243

TDOT is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, age, sex, religion, color, disability, or national origin.

Environment

Environmental studies and field-data collection are identified as early project activities. Following Definitive Design concurrence, the Design-Builder plans to submit the IARAP/404 permit application.

The Design-Builder’s schedule also identifies erosion-control measures during construction, beginning with Phase 1 work on I-24 westbound.

Traffic Impacts

The Design-Builder plans to first fully reconstruct the I-24 westbound right shoulder so it can carry traffic during construction. Traffic would then shift right, using 11-foot travel lanes and 2-foot shoulders, while the work area is protected by portable concrete barrier.

During the Phase 1 I-24 westbound traffic configuration, the Design-Builder plans to complete clearing and grubbing, erosion control, and demolition of the existing I-24 westbound bridge. A Shellmound Road detour will be used for residents south of I-24 during bridge demolition.

Following the demolition of the I-24 westbound bridge, the contractor’s schedule anticipates revised detour routing for residents between the two bridge locations while the Shellmound Road bridge over I-24 eastbound is demolished and replaced.

After demolition of both bridges, grading and drainage work is planned to proceed concurrently at both bridge locations to prepare for substructure construction. The I-24 westbound bridge work is expected to be prioritized because it includes multiple construction phases.

After the applicable permit is received, the Design-Builder plans to extend the I-24 westbound box culvert and complete associated grading and base work in preparation for Phase 2. Following Phase 1 bridge and paving completion, the existing I-24 westbound left shoulder would be reconstructed, and traffic would shift left to allow Phase 2 bridge and roadway work to proceed.

Final work is expected to include driving surface placement, milling and repaving of I-24 and Shellmound Road, and final pavement markings after traffic reaches its final configuration.

Key Project Milestones

• Notice to Proceed / Schedule Data Date: May 15, 2026
• Definitive Design Concurrence: Anticipated mid-September 2026
• IARAP/404 Permit Application: Following Definitive Design concurrence
• Initial Ready for Construction Plans: Anticipated October 2026
• Construction Notice to Proceed: Following Department concurrence on the Ready for Construction plans