Interstate 24 Southeast Choice Lanes
Davidson and Rutherford countiesMore Choices. More Capacity. More Reliable Travel Time.
The Tennessee Department of Transportation has selected DriveTN through a competitive, best-value procurement for the I-24 Southeast Choice Lanes project. The project is designed to address congestion between Nashville and Murfreesboro while preserving the general-purpose lanes drivers use today. It will add two new Choice Lanes in each direction, improve mobility and connectivity, and give travelers another option when a more reliable trip matters most.
The key word is choice. No existing general-purpose lanes will be removed, and drivers may continue using those lanes at no cost. Drivers who choose the new lanes will pay a user fee, allowing project-generated revenue to support the cost of financing, designing, building, operating, and maintaining the Choice Lanes. This model allows urban congestion to help pay for solutions to urban congestion while preserving traditional transportation funding for needs across Tennessee. It is the right tool for this corridor, but it does not replace Tennessee’s need for long-term, sustainable transportation funding.
Project Update: TDOT selects DriveTN in I-24 Southeast Choice Lanes project. Click here to read more about the selected proposal.
TDOT I-24 Southeast Choice Lanes FAQ
I-24 Southeast Choice Lanes Procurement Selection Fact Sheet
Public Involvement and Environmental Documents
Environmental Documents
In accordance with Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) regulations and under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), an environmental document is required that identifies the significance of a project’s environmental impact. The Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) was approved by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) on June 16, 2026, for the proposed project.
National Environmental Policy Act Public (NEPA) Hearings were held for the project in March 2026 to provide the public an opportunity to provide input on the approved I-24 Southeast Choice Lanes Environmental Assessment prior to the completion of the final environmental document.
Upcoming I-24 Southeast Community Meetings
Attend a public meeting to learn more about the I-24 Southeast Choice Lanes project and talk with the project team’s technical experts.
- Meeting #1: Tuesday, September 8, 2026, 12:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m., Nashville Public Library Pruitt Branch 117, Charles E Davis Blvd., Nashville, TN, 37210
- Meeting #2: Wednesday, September 9, 2026, 12:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m., Smyrna Event Center, 100 Sam Ridley Pkwy E., Smyrna, TN, 37167
Each open-house style meeting will allow members of the public to review project materials and talk to the project team about the future of the corridor.
Previous Public Meetings
Public meetings were held in August 2024. Following those meetings, TDOT revised portions of the environmental review based on stakeholder feedback. A second round of Public Informational Meetings was held in September and October of 2025 to present the revised information and gather feedback. The summaries of those Public Information Meetings can be reviewed online by clicking the links below.
- August 2024 Public Information Meeting Summary
- September/October 2025 Public Information Meeting Summary
In February of 2025, an addendum was made to the 2025 Comment Response Matrix. While all comments received during the public comment period were included in the project database and reviewed as part of the formal evaluation process, a small number of comments were inadvertently omitted from the initially published Comment Response Matrix for the 2025 Public Information Meetings due to a clerical error. This addendum is not currently reflected in the approved Environmental Assessment, but it will be included in the final environmental document. The addendum can be reviewed by clicking the link below. Physical copies of the addendum will also be provided at Public Hearings on March 3, 4, and 5.
TDOT has also held three live stream presentations for stakeholders, the first being in August 2024, the second in March 2024 and the third in December 2024.
Public Involvement Resources
View Past Newsletters
History and Background
History and Background
Tennessee’s historic growth has significantly increased traffic in urban areas, leading to chronic congestion along key corridors. This highlights the urgent need to modernize infrastructure to accommodate both current and future demand. According to TDOT’s Congestion Studies, an estimated $30 billion (as of 2022) is required to address congestion in both urban and rural areas. With the authorization of P3s, Choice Lanes have emerged as a viable solution to help alleviate urban congest
Project Contacts
Project Email Address
TDOT.24ChoiceLanes@tn.gov
Project Hotline
(615) 451-8039
Paige Heintzman
Director of P3 Delivery
John Davis
TDOT Statewide Project Manager - Public-Private Partnerships
Rebekah Hammonds
TDOT Public-Private Partnerships Communications Officer
Nick Kniazewycz
TDOT Statewide Manager - Public-Private Partnerships
Amy Bonds
TDOT Statewide Commercial Backoffice Manager - Public-Private Partnerships