Interstate 65 in Tennessee

Interstate 65
Albert Arnold Gore Sr. Memorial Highway
Wikimedia | © OpenStreetMap I-65 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by TDOT
Length	121.71 mi[1] (195.87 km)
Existed	1958–present
Major junctions
South end	I-65 / US 31 at Alabama state line
	US 64 near Frankewing US 412 in Columbia I-840 near Franklin I-440 in Nashville US 70 / US 431 in Nashville I-40 in Nashville I-24 in Nashville US 31W / US 41 in Nashville
North end	I-65 at Kentucky state line
Location
Counties	Giles, Marshall, Maury, Williamson, Davidson, Sumner, Robertson
Highway system
Interstate Highway System Main Auxiliary Suffixed Business Future Tennessee State Routes Interstate US State ← SR 64 → SR 65

Interstate 65 (I-65) runs from Ardmore north in Tennessee to just south of Franklin, Kentucky, forming part of the national highway that goes from Mobile, Alabama, to Gary, Indiana. In Tennessee the highway's official name is the Albert Arnold Gore Sr. Memorial Highway, named for Albert Gore Sr., the former United States Senator.

Of the four states which I-65 runs through, the segment in Tennessee is the shortest, at 121.71 miles (195.87 km) long. I-65 serves the state capital and largest city of Nashville, and parallels U.S. Route 31 its entire length in Tennessee.

Route description[]

I-65 southbound crossing from Kentucky to Tennessee

Southern section and Nashville suburbs[]

I-65 enters Tennessee from Alabama concurrent with U.S. Route 31 in rural Giles County near the town of Ardmore. About 1.5 miles (2.4 km) later, near the town of Elkton, is an interchange with State Route 7, where US 31 splits off into a concurrency with that route, heading north toward Pulaski Continuing through mostly rural territory characterized by slight rolling hills, I-65 crosses the Elk River about 2.5 miles (4.0 km) later, and has an interchange with US 64 about 10 miles (16 km) beyond this point, which serves Pulaski to the west and Fayetteville to the east. Continuing through further rural terrain, I-65 crosses into Marshall County about 8 miles (13 km) later and immediately has an interchange with US 31 Alternate near the town of Cornersville, which also serves as a connector to Lewisburg. Bypassing Lewisburg to the west, I-65 enters Maury County about 13 miles (21 km) later. Slightly over 2 miles (3.2 km) later is an interchange with SR 50, which serves Columbia to the northwest and Lewisburg to the southeast. Bypassing Columbia to the east, I-65 crosses the Duck River about 3.5 miles (5.6 km) later, and has an interchange with SR 99 and the eastern terminus of US 412 about 5.5 miles (8.9 km) later.

Almost 7 miles (11 km) later, I-65 crosses into Williamson County and has an interchange with the eastern terminus of SR 396 (Saturn Parkway), a freeway spur that serves Spring Hill and the General Motors Spring Hill Manufacturing plant. 6 miles (9.7 km) later, I-65 widens to six lanes and reaches a combination interchange with Interstate 840, which serves as an outer southern bypass of Nashville. I-65 then receives eight lanes from this interchange, with the left lanes serving as HOV lanes during rush hour. About 2 miles (3.2 km) later, I-65 enters Franklin, one of the principal cities of the Nashville metropolitan area, and has an interchange with the eastern terminus of SR 248. In Franklin, I-65 crosses the Harpeth River and has interchanges with SR 96 (a major arterial route that also serves Murfreesboro to the east), McEwen Drive, Cool Springs Boulevard, and SR 441 (Moores Lane). I-65 then leaves Franklin and enters Brentwood, and has an interchange with SR 253 (Concord Road) a little over 2 miles (3.2 km) later. Passing through the center of Brentwood, I-65 crosses into Davidson County about 3 miles (4.8 km) later, and immediately has an interchange with SR 254 (Old Hickory Boulevard), which is considered the second Brentwood exit due to its extreme proximity. I-65 then continues into the southern neighborhoods of Nashville.

Nashville and northern section[]

I-65 southbound in Nashville concurrent with I-24

Entering the southern neighborhoods of Nashville, I-65 has an interchange with SR 255 (Harding Place) about 3 miles (4.8 km) later. A little over 1 mile (1.6 km) later, the HOV lane restrictions terminate and I-65 widens to ten lanes at an interchange with Armory Drive. The route then crosses SR 155 (Thompson Lane) and has a spaghetti junction four-level stack interchange with I-440, which serves as a southern bypass to downtown Nashville. At this interchange, I-65 reduces to six lanes, and a little over two miles later, I-65 enters Downtown Nashville, and begins a concurrency with I-40. The mile and exit numbers during the concurrency are numbered using I-40's mileage. Forming part of the Downtown Loop, the set of interstate highways that encircle Downtown Nashville, the routes shift sharply to the east, before shifting to the northwest, and have interchanges with US 70 (Charlotte Avenue) and US 70S/US 431 (Broadway). About 1 mile (1.6 km) later, I-40 splits off to the west, heading towards Memphis, and I-65 curves sharply to the northeast, reaching an interchange with US 41A (Rosa L. Parks Boulevard) about 0.8 miles (1.3 km) later. About 1 mile (1.6 km) later, the route crosses the Cumberland River on the Lyle H. Fulton Memorial Bridge, and reaches an interchange with I-24, beginning a concurrency with that route and shifting into a northward direction. Unlike the concurrency with I-40, the I-65 mile and exit numbers are retained during the I-24 concurrency. Carrying eight lanes, the combined routes have an interchange with US 431 (Trinity Lane) just under 1 mile (1.6 km) later. Almost 1.5 miles (2.4 km) later, I-24 splits off, heading northwest towards Clarksville, a I-65 shifts northeast, carrying a total of ten through lanes, the left lanes once again functioning as HOV lanes during rush hour. Slightly over one mile later is a complicated interchange with US 31W/US 41, and SR 155 (Briley Parkway), the latter of which is a freeway that serves as a northern bypass around Nashville. The widest section of I-65 is in Tennessee is found on the north side of this interchange, where the road briefly accommodates 15 through lanes (8 northbound, 7 southbound). The road passes through Madison, has an interchange with SR 45 (Old Hickory Boulevard) about 2 miles (3.2 km) later. A little over 3 miles (4.8 km) later, I-65 reaches an interchange with SR 386 (Vietnam Veterans Blvd) in Goodlettsville, a freeway spur which serves the Nashville suburbs of Hendersonville and Gallatin. At this interchange, I-65 reduces to six lanes, and the HOV restrictions terminate. I-65 then leaves the urban Nashville area and enters Sumner County at this point.

A few miles after leaving the urban Nashville area, at an interchange with SR 174 (Long Hollow Pike), I-65 reduces back to four lanes. Just under 2 miles (3.2 km) later is an interchange with US 31W/41 near the city of Millersville. I-65 then enters a predominantly rural area, and begins a steep descent out of the Nashville Basin, with the northbound lanes utilizing a truck climbing lane over a distance of about 2 miles (3.2 km). I-65 then crosses into Robertson County, and 4 miles (6.4 km) later has an interchange with SR 76 in White House, which also serves Springfield to the west. Passing through rural terrain characterized mostly by farmland, I-65 reaches an interchange with SR 25 about 5 miles (8.0 km) later, and then crosses the Red River. I-65 crosses the Red River again almost 1 mile (1.6 km) later, and reaches an interchange with SR 52 about 1 mile (1.6 km) beyond this point near Portland. About 3 miles (4.8 km) later, I-65 reaches an interchange with SR 109 northwest of Portland, and then crosses into Kentucky about 1⁄2 mile (0.80 km) later.

History[]

A small part of I-65 was the first section of Interstate Highway opened to traffic in Tennessee. A 1.8-mile (2.9 km) section near the Alabama–Tennessee state line opened on November 15, 1958. The McDowell and McDowell Construction company had started work on the interchange in May 1957.^[2] The section of I-65 through Brentwood was completed in 1967.^[3] The last segment between the Alabama state line and Nashville was completed in 1967.^{[citation needed]} The 2.5 miles (4.0 km) section between US 431 (Trinity Lane) and US 41 (Dickerson Pike) in north Nashville was opened to traffic on December 24, 1968.^[4] In June 1970, the 8.8 miles (14.2 km) section between SR 25 near Cross Plains and the Kentucky state line was completed.^[5] The 2 miles (3.2 km) segment between Berry Road, near the present location of the I-440 interchange, and the split with I-40 south of downtown Nashville was completed in October 1972.^[6] The 14 miles (23 km) segment of I-65 between US 31W in Millersville and SR 25 near Cross Plains, opened on December 15, 1972.^[7] The final section of I-65 completed was the approximately 2.5 miles (4.0 km) section between SR 255 and Berry Road, completed in the fall of 1973.^[8]

Until 2000, the 2-mile (3.2 km) northern leg of the loop in Nashville was designated as Interstate 265. On April 7, 2000, the I-265 designation vanished, and I-65 itself was re-routed from the southern and eastern half of the loop (where it traveled concurrently with I-24/I-40) to the western and northern half of the loop (where it travels concurrently with I-40 only on the western side, and has the northern stretch to itself). Nashville–Davidson County's city/county government had argued to have the designations changed in order to help alleviate traffic congestion caused by motorists' following I-65 through the main body of the city. Because of this, the new I-65 route is approximately 0.6 miles (0.97 km) longer than the previous route. Mile markers north of Nashville were not changed with the reroute.^[9][10]

TDOT is working to widen the approximately 23 miles (37 km) segment of I-65 between SR 174 in Goodlettsville and about 1 mile (1.6 km) south of the Kentucky line from four to six lanes, connecting two existing six lane segments, in four separate phases.^[11] The approximately 1 mile (1.6 km) segment south of the Kentucky line was widened to six lanes with the construction of the interchange with SR 109, completed in the spring of 2020.^[12] The first phase, awarded in August 2021, widens the approximately 10 miles (16 km) segment between south of SR 25 and south of SR 109, and is expected to be completed before December 2025. At a cost of $160 million, this project is the most expensive individual contract ever awarded by TDOT.^[13]

Exit list[]

County	Location	mi	km	Exit	Destinations	Notes
Giles	Ardmore	0.00	0.00		I-65 / US 31 south – Huntsville	Continuation into Alabama
		1.48	2.38	1	US 31 / SR 7 (Elkton Highway) – Ardmore, Pulaski, Lawrenceburg, Huntsville	Northern end of US 31 overlap
	Elkton	6.23	10.03	6	SR 273 (Bryson Road) – Elkton
	Frankewing	14.14	22.76	14	US 64 (SR 15) – Pulaski, Fayetteville
Giles–Marshall county line	​	22.52	36.24	22	US 31A (SR 11) – Lewisburg, Cornersville, Pulaski
Marshall	​	27.21	43.79	27	SR 129 (Lynnville Road) – Lynnville, Cornersville
	Lewisburg	32.66	52.56	32	SR 373 (Mooresville Highway) – Lewisburg
Maury	Columbia	37.54	60.41	37	SR 50 (New Lewisburg Highway) – Columbia
		46.24	74.42	46	US 412 west / SR 99 – Columbia, Chapel Hill	Eastern terminus of US 412
Williamson	Spring Hill	53.18	85.58	53	SR 396 west (Saturn Parkway) – Spring Hill	Eastern terminus of SR 396
					June Lake Blvd	To be completed in 2023[14]
	Franklin	59.15	95.19	59	I-840 – Memphis, Dickson, Knoxville, Murfreesboro	I-840 exit 31; signed as exits 59A (east) and 59B (west); combination interchange
		61.81	99.47	61	SR 248 west (Goose Creek Bypass) / Peytonsville Road – Spring Hill	Eastern terminus of SR 248
		65.64	105.64	65	SR 96 (Murfreesboro Road) – Franklin
		67.05	107.91	67	McEwen Drive
		68.01	109.45	68	Cool Springs Boulevard	Signed as exits 69A (east) and 68B (west)
	Brentwood	69.34	111.59	69	SR 441 (Moores Lane)	Southbound exit to Galleria Boulevard
		71.60	115.23	71	SR 253 (Concord Road) – Brentwood
Davidson	Nashville–Oak Hill line	74.73	120.27	74	SR 254 (Old Hickory Boulevard) – Brentwood	Signed as exits 74A (east) and 74B (west)
		78.01	125.54	78	SR 255 (Harding Place)	Signed southbound as exits 78A (east) and 78B (west)
		79.33	127.67	79	Armory Drive
	Nashville–Berry Hill line	80.45	129.47	80	I-440 – Memphis, Knoxville	One of two four-level stack interchanges in Tennessee; I-440 exit 5; access to Nashville International Airport
	Nashville	81.75	131.56	81	Wedgewood Avenue
		82.75	133.17	82B	I-40 east to I-24 east – Knoxville, Chattanooga	Left exit and entrance southbound; southern end of I-40 overlap; I-40 east exit 210, west exit 210B; access to Nashville International Airport
		83.43	134.27	209B	US 70S / US 431 (Broadway/SR 1) / Demonbreun Street	Exit numbers follow I-40; northbound signed as "Demonbreun St." only
		83.59– 83.78	134.53– 134.83	209A	US 70 / US 70S / US 431 (Broadway/SR 1/SR 24) Church Street	Northbound signage Southbound signage
		84.01	135.20	209	US 70 (Charlotte Avenue/SR 24) / Church Street	Church St. not signed southbound
		84.93	136.68	84B	I-40 west – Memphis	Left entrance northbound, left exits; northern end of I-40 overlap; I-40 west exit 208, east exit 208B
		85.77	138.03	85	US 41A (Rosa L. Parks Boulevard/SR 12) – State Capitol
				Lyle H. Fulton Memorial Bridge over the Cumberland River
		87.21	140.35	86	I-24 east to I-40 east – Chattanooga, Knoxville	Left exit and entrance southbound; signed as exit 86B northbound; southern end of I-24 overlap; I-24 west exit 46B
		88.10	141.78	87	US 431 (Trinity Lane/SR 65)
		89.28	143.68	88	I-24 west – Clarksville	Left exit and entrance northbound; northern end of I-24 overlap; I-24 east exit 44B
		90.71– 91.11	145.98– 146.63	90	US 31W / US 41 (Dickerson Pike/SR 11) / SR 155 (Briley Parkway) / US 31E south (Ellington Parkway) – Opryland	Split into exits 90A (SR 155 west/US 31W/US 41) and 90B (SR 155 east); US 31E not signed northbound, access via exit 90A south; exit 90B provides access to Nashville International Airport
		93.03	149.72	92	SR 45 (Old Hickory Boulevard) – Madison
	Goodlettsville	96.32	155.01	95	SR 386 east (Vietnam Veterans Boulevard) – Hendersonville, Gallatin	Western terminus of SR 386; northbound exit and southbound entrance
		96.69	155.61	96	Rivergate Parkway – Goodlettsville
		97.82	157.43	97	SR 174 (Long Hollow Pike) – Goodlettsville, Gallatin
Sumner		99.57	160.24	98	US 31W (SR 41) – Millersville, Springfield, Goodlettsville
Robertson	Millersville	104.72	168.53	104	SR 257 (Bethel Road) – Ridgetop
	White House	108.79	175.08	108	SR 76 – Springfield, White House
	Cross Plains	113.47	182.61	112	SR 25 (Main Street) – Cross Plains, Springfield, Gallatin
	Orlinda	118.49	190.69	117	SR 52 (Maple Street) – Portland, Orlinda
Tennessee–Kentucky line		121.0	194.7	121	SR 109 (Vaughn Parkway) – Portland, Welcome Center	Southbound collector-distributor lane provides access to and from interchange and Welcome Center
		122.27	196.77		I-65 north – Louisville	Continuation into Kentucky
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus       Incomplete access       Unopened

See also[]

•  U.S. Roads portal

References[]

External links[]

Route map:

• Media related to Interstate 65 in Tennessee at Wikimedia Commons

Interstate 65
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