TDOT's plan to widen I-24 from Dade County to Chattanooga increases by $300M

From Local 3 News: UPDATE: The price tag to fix one of Tennessee’s most congested highway interchanges is continuing to climb, but state transportation leaders say the long-awaited project is still moving forward.

The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) is planning major improvements to the Interstate 24 and Highway 27 interchange in Chattanooga, a stretch of roadway officials have described as one of the worst bottlenecks in the state.

TDOT is calling it the Moccasin Bend Widening Project.


“To really get what we need to fix that area, we need about $300 million more,” Reid said.
Officials say inflation and rising construction costs following the COVID-19 pandemic are driving up the price of major infrastructure projects across the state.

“When I first started out as a young engineer, the rule of thumb would be $1 million a mile,” Reid said. “As I sit here today, it’s between $20 and $50 million a mile to build a highway project.”

Despite the growing cost, Reid said TDOT remains committed to completing the project and is exploring several design options to make improvements possible in the constrained corridor, which sits between the Tennessee River, a railroad line and nearby bluffs.

“We’ve talked about double-decking the interstate,” Reid said. “There’s a lot of things that we’re looking at. Managed lanes or choice lanes is one of those tools that we’re looking at.”

The commissioner emphasized the project remains part of TDOT’s long-term plans.
“I can tell you this project is in our 10-year plan,” Reid said. “It is in the mill and we’re working to deliver them.”

The project will widen existing travel lanes and shoulders to 12 feet in both directions and will be completed in three separate segments. Officials say the final project cost is not expected to be finalized until next year.

Construction is currently anticipated to begin in late 2027 or 2028, though an estimated completion date has not yet been announced.

Read more about project details here. 


PREVIOUS STORY: The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) has announced plans to widen a congested 10-mile stretch of Interstate 24, with construction expected to begin in 2027.

The proposed expansion would increase the number of lanes from four to six between Interstate 59 in Dade County, Georgia, and US Highway 27 near downtown Chattanooga.
Robbie Hayes with Nashville-based infrastructure firm HNTB says the project is aimed at easing congestion on one of the region’s busiest interstate corridors.

“We’re trying to help improve congestion,” Hayes said, adding that several bridges along the route have been rated in “fair” or “poor” condition during recent inspections.

In addition to adding lanes, the project includes widening existing travel lanes and shoulders to 12 feet, and replacing 14 bridges—12 in Tennessee and 2 in Georgia.

“We would have new guardrail, barrier walls, and retainer walls as needed to meet design standards,” said engineer Justin Eckel.

The total cost of the project is estimated at $246 million. It will be completed in three segments:

• Segment 1: I-59 to the Tennessee state line
• Segment 2: Tennessee state line to Browns Ferry Road
• Segment 3: Browns Ferry Road to US Highway 27

Chattanooga resident Giselle Palmer, who commutes daily on I-24, says she's hopeful the expansion will help with traffic, particularly near the notorious "bends" approaching downtown.

“The traffic is basically stopped in those two lanes,” Palmer said. “Another lane could really help alleviate some of that.”

But not everyone is convinced a wider road will solve the issue long-term.

Kat Volzer, who supports alternative transit options, says broader solutions are needed.

“I’m cool if they add another lane—not a big deal—but we need to go back to that multimodal,” Volzer said. “That’s really what’s going to alleviate traffic, especially for those residents in Lookout Valley who want to get to downtown.”

TDOT officials say several environmental technical studies are planned in the coming months to evaluate the project’s potential impacts. Once those studies are complete, the public will have another opportunity to provide feedback early 2026.