Interstate 75 Interchange at Interstate 24 - Phase I

TDOT plans to make improvements to the I-75/I-24 interchange in Hamilton County. The project extends from the Georgia state line to west of the East Brainerd Road interchange on I-75 and from Spring Creek Road to the I-75/I-24 interchange on I-24.

Improvements will include widening I-75, widening all interstate-to-interstate ramps, modifying I-24 ramps to allow traffic to enter/exit I-75 from the right side, and providing a separate ramp system for Ringgold Road and Welcome Center traffic. The Spring Creek Road overpass bridges will also be replaced as part of the project.

The contract was awarded in November 2018, and the project will be delivered using the Design-Build method. Due to the nature of the Design-Build process, design, permitting, and utility coordination are still underway for this project. Major construction is expected to begin in fall 2019 with an estimated completion date of June 2021.

Preliminary work is currently underway, allowing the contractor to stockpile materials and build haul roads necessary for the project. Major construction is expected to begin in fall 2019.

No, I -75 and I-24 will remain open, but temporary lane closures will be in place nightly for the duration of the project. At night, at least one lane will remain open in each direction on both I-75 and I-24, Sunday through Thursday, between 9:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.

No, entrance/exit ramps within the project area will remain open during construction, allowing access to/from both I-75 and I-24.

Yes, interstate ramp closures are expected as crews move to different parts of the project and make improvements; however, interstate ramps will not be closed concurrently. The contractor may close one ramp at a time for UP TO four total weekends.

Interstate ramps include I-24 East to I-75 North, I-24 East to I-75 South, I-75 North to I-24 West, and I-75 South to I-24 West.  

Predominantly, all interstate crossings will remain open, but the replacement of the Spring Creek Road overpasses will require the closure of the bridges for UP TO six weekends. When open to traffic, Spring Creek Road will be reduced to two lanes (one lane in each direction) for the majority of the project.

The Welcome Center may be closed for UP TO 30 days outside of peak season (Memorial Day through Labor Day). The center may also be closed for short durations (3 or fewer days, Tuesday through Thursday) intermittently throughout the project.

Yes, the contractor will be allowed to work 24 hours a day and 7 days a week throughout the duration of the project.

Yes, the work zone is expected to be noisy. Noise impacts can occur on any highway project due to typical construction activity; however, the modification and reconstruction of the I-75/I-24 interchange will require some blasting. Blasting will be limited to Monday through Saturday, between 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.  

Adjacent routes may experience increased traffic volumes from motorists seeking alternate routes. Additionally, the planned closures of the interstate ramps and the Spring Creek Road overpasses will impact adjacent routes as traffic is detoured. All planned closures and assigned detours will be posted on the project website.

I-75 will be widened to provide an additional travel lane in each direction, and the I-75 ramps will be widened to accommodate three lanes of travel.

I-24 will NOT be widened as part of this project, but the I-24 ramps will be widened to accommodate three lanes of travel in the future. The I-24 ramps will remain in a two-lane traffic pattern until I-24 is widened at a later time in a separate project.

The concrete barrier wall will not be impacted by construction and will continue to separate directional travel lanes on both I-75 and I-24.

Yes, all interstate bridges within the project area will be replaced with new structures, excluding the existing I-75 bridge over Chickamauga Creek, which will be widened. The project also includes new bridges for Spring Creek Road over I-24. New bridges will also be constructed as part of the new ramp system for Ringgold Road and the Welcome Center.

Decorative landscaping is not included, but seed or sod will be provided within the project area upon completion of construction.

Design-Build is an alternative to the traditional Design-Bid-Build project delivery method. Design-Build combines various portions of the design and construction phases into a single contract, whereas Design-Bid-Build separates design and construction into separate contracts and separate work.

Design-Build can provide a more unified flow of work from conception to completion by allowing the contractor to bring innovative solutions to improve project delivery time, reduce project costs, and reduce impacts to the public.

TDOT is utilizing the design-build concept to expedite project delivery and streamline design processes for the I-75/I-24 interchange project.

An email group will be set up for project updates. Sign up instructions are available on the the I-75 Interchange at I-24 project homepage.