List of Interstate Highways in Tennessee

Tennessee contains a total of {{convert|1,233|mi|km}} of Interstate Highways, all of which are maintained by the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT). Tennessee's interstate system is designated as the "Senator Albert Gore Sr. Memorial Interstate System." Albert Gore Sr. was a three-term United States Senator from Tennessee who co-sponsored the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956, also known as the Interstate Highway Act.{{cite web|url=https://www.tn.gov/tdot/100years-home/100years-interstate.html|title=100 Years: Tennessee's Interstate System|author=|date=2014|website=tn.gov|publisher=Tennessee Department of Transportation|access-date=2020-12-22}}

The longest Interstate Highway in Tennessee is Interstate 40, at a length of {{convert|454.81|mi|km}}. The segment of I-40 in Tennessee is also the longest segment of all of the states the route traverses. The shortest mainline Interstate Highway in Tennessee is I-55, at a length of {{convert|12.28|mi|km}} in Memphis. The longest auxiliary Interstate Highway in Tennessee is I-840, an outer southern bypass around Nashville, at a length of {{convert|77.28|mi|km}}. The shortest Interstate Highway in Tennessee is the {{convert|1.97|mi|km}} I-124 in Chattanooga, which is unsigned; the shortest signed Interstate Highway is I-275 in Knoxville, at {{convert|2.98|mi|km}} long.

Tennessee was allocated approximately {{convert|1,047.6|mi|km}} of Interstate Highways by the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956.{{cite book |type = Report |author1 = Tennessee State Highway Department Highway Planning Survey Division |author1-link = Tennessee Department of Transportation |author2 = United States Department of Commerce |author2-link = United States Department of Commerce |author3 = Bureau of Public Roads |author3-link = Bureau of Public Roads |year = 1959 |title = History of the Tennessee Highway Department |url = https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/tdot/documents/100years/History_of_the_TN_Highway_Department.pdf |location = Nashville |publisher = Tennessee State Highway Department |access-date = April 26, 2020 |pages = 51–52 }} I-24 was originally planned to run between Nashville and Chattanooga; it was approved to be extended to I-57 in southern Illinois in August 1964.{{cite web |url = https://highways.dot.gov/highway-history/interstate-system/50th-anniversary |title = Eisenhower Interstate Highway System, Previous Facts of the Day |author = |date = 2010 |publisher = Federal Highway Administratin |access-date = July 5, 2020 }}

The first section of Interstate Highway in Tennessee was a short freeway in Knoxville, completed in two segments in 1952 and 1955, that was integrated into the Interstate Highway System, becoming part of I-40 and I-75.{{cite news|last=Ferguson|first=Don K.|title=Ferguson: First downtown expressway spurred Malfunction Junction|url=http://archive.knoxnews.com/opinion/columnists/don-ferguson/ferguson-first-downtown-expressway-spurred-malfunction-junction-ep-411633327-359893091.html|work=Knoxville News-Sentinel|access-date=2020-06-06}}{{cite news|author=|title=Expressway's First Link Completed|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57640672/expressways-first-link-completed/|page=7|work=The Knoxville Journal|date=November 30, 1952|access-date=2020-08-19|via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite news|author=|date=December 10, 1955|title=Short Ceremony Opens Expressway Link|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/56529141/short-ceremony-opens-expressway-link/|page=1|work=Knoxville News Sentinel|access-date=2020-06-06|via=Newspapers.com}} The first initial segment of Interstate Highway in Tennessee was a short portion of I-65 near the Alabama state line that opened on November 15, 1958.

The first section of Interstate to be complete between two major cities in Tennessee was I-40 between Memphis and Nashville, the last segment between these cities of which was dedicated on July 24, 1966.{{cite news |last = Aden |first = Tom |date = July 24, 1966 |title = New Interstate Link Alters a Few Things |url = https://www.newspapers.com/clip/56529963/new-interstate-link-alters-a-few-things/ |page = 7 |work = The Jackson Sun |agency = Associated Press |access-date = April 12, 2020 |via = Newspapers.com }}{{cite news |author = |title = I-40 Opened in Cuba Landing Bridge Ceremony |url = https://www.newspapers.com/clip/56530007/i-40-opened-in-cuba-landing-bridge/ |work = The Jackson Sun |agency = Associated Press |date = July 25, 1966 |access-date = April 12, 2020 |via = Newspapers.com }} Most of I-40 between Nashville and Knoxville was also complete by this time. On December 20, 1974, the final segments of I-40, I-75, and I-81 in Tennessee opened to traffic, opening the final segments of mainline Interstate Highway initially allocated to Tennessee in 1956.{{cite news |author = |title = Dunn Opens 96 Interstate Miles |url = https://www.newspapers.com/clip/56526535/dunn-opens-96-interstate-miles/ |page = 32 |work = The Tennessean |agency = Associated Press |date = December 21, 1974 |issn = 1053-6590 |access-date = April 18, 2019 |via = Newspapers.com }}{{cite news|title=All ET Interstates Open|page=1|date=December 21, 1974|work=Knoxville News Sentinel}} At this time, however, work was not fully complete on these sections of I-81 and I-40; this occurred on August 27, 1975{{Cite news |url = https://www.newspapers.com/clip/56527779/all-four-lanes-of-interstate-81-to-be/ | page = 16 |title = All four lanes of Interstate 81 to be opened today |date = August 27, 1975 |work = Johnson City Press-Chronicle |access-date = 2019-12-08 |via = Newspapers.com }} and September 12, 1975, respectively.{{cite news |author = |title = I-40 Link Opening Near Knoxville |url = https://www.newspapers.com/clip/56532090/i-40-link-opening-near-knoxville/ |work = The Tennessean |agency = Associated Press |date = September 11, 1975 |issn = 1053-6590 |access-date = April 18, 2019 }} The last segment of I-24 in Tennessee, located west of Nashville, opened on January 5, 1978.{{cite news|author=|title=I-24 Opens|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/56532840/i-24-opens/|work=Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle|location=Clarksville, Tennessee|date=January 6, 1978|access-date=2019-04-27|via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite news|author=|title=Motorists Wait As Final Link Of I-24 Opens|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/56533053/motorists-wait-as-final-link-of-i-24/|work=The Tennessean|location=Nashville, Tennessee|date=January 8, 1978|access-date=2019-04-27|via=Newspapers.com}} The last segment of Interstate Highway in Tennessee to be completed that was planned by the Interstate Highway Act was on I-440 in Nashville, which opened on April 3, 1987.{{cite news |last = Elder |first = Renee |date = April 4, 1987 |title = I-440 finally more than a dream |url = https://www.newspapers.com/clip/56533649/i-440-finally-more-than-a-dream/ |page = 1, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/56533698/finally-more-than-a-dream-i-440-now/ 2] |work = The Tennessean |location = Nashville |access-date = July 30, 2020 |via = Newspapers.com }}

Due to citizen opposition, a short segment of I-40 in Memphis planned to pass through the city's Overton Park was never built. Opposition began after the routing was proposed in the 1950s, and citizens waged a multi-year legal battle that culminated in the U.S. Supreme Court case Citizens to Preserve Overton Park v. Volpe in 1971.{{cite court |litigants = Citizens to Preserve Overton Park v. Volpe |vol = 401 |reporter = U.S. |opinion = 402 |court = U.S. Supreme Court |year = 1971 |url = http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?navby=CASE&court=US&vol=401&page=402 }} After this case, TDOT continued to explore options to construct this section until 1981, when it was abandoned, and a nearby section of I-240 was redesignated as part of I-40.{{cite book |last = McNichol |first = Dan |date = 2006 |title = The Roads that Built America: The Incredible Story of the U.S. Interstate System |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=b0qO1yCFRxYC |location = New York City |publisher = Sterling Publishing |pages = 159–160 |isbn = 9781402734687 }}

Since the completion of Tennessee's original Interstates, additional segments of highway in the state have been added to the system. An extension of I-26 into Tennessee was approved by AASHTO in 1988, and officially incorporated in August 2003.{{AASHTO minutes |year=1988S |page=4 |access-date=November 11, 2015 }} I-140 is a designation that was applied to a section of the Pellissippi Parkway in Knox and Blount counties that was constructed in the 1990s. I-840 was first proposed by the state legislature in 1986 and constructed between 1991 and 2012;{{cite book |author = Tennessee Department of Transportation |year = 2012 |url = http://www.tdot.state.tn.us/sr840s/docs/840book11-1.pdf |title = State Route 840: Enjoy the Ride |type = Dedication program |publisher = Tennessee Department of Transportation |access-date = June 12, 2015 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121119032423/http://www.tdot.state.tn.us/sr840s/docs/840book11-1.pdf |archive-date = November 19, 2012 }} it officially became an Interstate Highway on August 12, 2016.{{cite press release |author = Tennessee Department of Transportation |date = August 12, 2016 |url = https://www.tn.gov/tdot/news/2016/8/12/tennessee-adds-new-77-miles-of-highway-to-interstate-system.html |title = Tennessee Adds New 77 Miles of Highway to Interstate System: State Route 840 Now Designated as Interstate 840 |publisher = Tennessee Department of Transportation |access-date = August 12, 2016 |archive-date = January 12, 2018 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180112222700/https://www.tn.gov/tdot/news/2016/8/12/tennessee-adds-new-77-miles-of-highway-to-interstate-system.html |url-status = live }} A segment of SR 385 in the Memphis area became I-269 in 2018.

An extension of I-69 into Tennessee was proposed in the 1990s. In 2005, I-3 was also proposed into Tennessee as a Third Infantry Division Highway.

{{routelist top|length_ref=}}

{{routelist row

|state=GA

|type=I

|route=3

|length_mi=

|terminus_a=Georgia state line

|terminus_b=Knoxville

|established=proposed

|established_ref=

|circa_established=

|decommissioned=

|decommissioned_ref=

|circa_decommissioned=

|notes=Proposal for the Third Infantry Division Highway

}}

{{routelist row

|state=TN

|type=I

|route=24

|length_mi=180.16

|terminus_a=I-24 at Kentucky state line

|terminus_b=I-75/US 74 in Chattanooga

|established=1957

|established_ref={{cite map |author = Public Roads Administration |author-link = Public Roads Administration |date = August 14, 1957 |title = Official Route Numbering for the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways as Adopted by the American Association of State Highway Officials |url = https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Interstate_Highway_plan_August_14,_1957.jpg |location = Washington, DC |publisher = Public Roads Administration |access-date = June 14, 2018 |via = Wikimedia Commons }}

|circa_established=

|decommissioned=

|decommissioned_ref=

|circa_decommissioned=

|notes=Noncontiguous; short segment extends into Georgia between both Tennessee segments.

}}

{{routelist row

|state=TN

|type=I

|route=26

|length_mi= 54.5

|terminus_a=US 11W/US 23 in Kingsport

|terminus_b=I-26/US 23 at North Carolina state line

|established=2003

|established_ref=

|circa_established=

|decommissioned=

|decommissioned_ref=

|circa_decommissioned=

|notes=none

}}

{{routelist row

|state=TN

|type=I

|route=40

|length_mi=455.28

|terminus_a=I-40 at Arkansas state line

|terminus_b=I-40 at North Carolina state line

|established=1957

|established_ref=

|circa_established=

|decommissioned=

|decommissioned_ref=

|circa_decommissioned=

|notes=none

}}

{{routelist row

|state=TN

|type=I

|route=55

|length_mi=12.28

|terminus_a=I-55/I-69 at Mississippi state line

|terminus_b=I-55/US 61/US 64/US 70/US 78/US 79 at Arkansas state line

|established=1957

|established_ref=

|circa_established=

|decommissioned=

|decommissioned_ref=

|circa_decommissioned=

|notes=none

}}

{{routelist row

|state=TN

|type=I

|route=65

|length_mi=121.71

|terminus_a=I-65/US 31 at Alabama state line

|terminus_b=I-65 at Kentucky state line

|established=1957

|established_ref=

|circa_established=

|decommissioned=

|decommissioned_ref=

|circa_decommissioned=

|notes=none

}}

{{routelist row

|state=TN

|type=I

|route=69

|length_mi=

|terminus_a=I-55/I-69 at Mississippi state line

|terminus_b=I-69/US 51 at Kentucky state line

|established=proposed

|established_ref=

|circa_established=

|decommissioned=

|decommissioned_ref=

|circa_decommissioned=

|notes=Designation approved, but not adopted by TDOT, from Mississippi state line to I-40/SR 300

}}

{{routelist row

|state=TN

|type=I

|route=75

|length_mi=161.86

|terminus_a=I-75 at Georgia state line

|terminus_b=I-75 at Kentucky state line

|established=1957

|established_ref=

|circa_established=

|decommissioned=

|decommissioned_ref=

|circa_decommissioned=

|notes=none

}}

{{routelist row

|state=TN

|type=I

|route=81

|length_mi=75.66

|terminus_a=I-40 in Dandridge

|terminus_b=I-81 at Virginia state line

|established=1957

|established_ref=

|circa_established=

|decommissioned=

|decommissioned_ref=

|circa_decommissioned=

|notes=none

}}

{{routelist bottom|keys=future}}

File:I-24 West Exit 66 - TN266 (32888023233).jpg|I-24 in Smyrna, a suburb of Nashville

File:Interstate 26 Bald Mountains Tennessee.jpg|I-26 in the Bald Mountains

File:HernandoDeSoto Bridge Pyramid.jpg|The Hernando de Soto Bridge, which carries I-40 across the Mississippi River between Memphis and West Memphis, Arkansas

File:I-40 near Nashville Int'l Airport.jpg|I-40 near the Nashville International Airport

File:I-55 North - Exit 2 - TN175 Shelby Drive (44718536525).jpg|I-55 near exit 2

File:Int65nRoadTN-Exit74-TN254ew (30507418903).jpg|I-65 in Brentwood, a suburb of Nashville

File:Int75sRoadTN-TN153nOneMile (32561687630).jpg|I-75 in Chattanooga

File:Sullivan County, TN, USA - panoramio.jpg|I-81 near Bristol

{{routelist top|length_ref=}}

{{routelist row

|state=TN

|type=I

|route=124

|length_mi=1.97

|terminus_a=I-24 in Chattanooga

|terminus_b=US 27 in Chattanooga

|established=1958

|established_ref={{cite web |url=https://na4.visualvault.com/app/AASHTO/Default/documentviewer?DhID=224d1f19-37e6-ea11-a98a-ff9beffbfef8&hidemenu=true |title=Correspondence to Herbert M. Bates |last=Johnson |first=A. E. |date=November 12, 1958 |website=VisualVault |publisher=American Association of State Highway Officials |access-date=August 8, 2023}}

|circa_established=

|decommissioned=

|decommissioned_ref=

|circa_decommissioned=

|notes=Unsigned designation

}}

{{routelist row

|state=TN

|type=I

|route=140

|length_mi=11.18

|terminus_a=SR 162 in Knoxville

|terminus_b=US 129/SR 162 in Alcoa

|established=1992

|established_ref=

|circa_established=

|decommissioned=

|decommissioned_ref=

|circa_decommissioned=

|notes=none

}}

{{routelist row

|state=TN

|type=I

|route=155

|length_mi=15.93

|terminus_a=I-155/US 412 at Missouri state line

|terminus_b=US 51/US 412 in Dyersburg

|established=1964

|established_ref=

|circa_established=

|decommissioned=

|decommissioned_ref=

|circa_decommissioned=

|notes=none

}}

{{routelist row

|state=TN

|type=I

|route=169

|length_mi=

|terminus_a=I-69 / US 51 in Union City

|terminus_b=SR 22 / SR 43 / US 45E in Martin

|established=proposed

|established_ref=

|circa_established=

|decommissioned=

|decommissioned_ref=

|circa_decommissioned=

|notes=Will be renumbering the freeway portion of SR 22

}}

{{routelist row

|state=TN

|type=I

|route=181

|length_mi=15.93

|terminus_a=US 19W/US 23/US 321 in Johnson City

|terminus_b=US 11W/US 23 in Kingsport

|established=1985

|established_ref=

|circa_established=

|decommissioned=2007

|decommissioned_ref=

|circa_decommissioned=

|notes=Replaced by I-26

}}

{{routelist row

|state=TN

|type=I

|route=240

|length_mi=19.27

|terminus_a=I-40 in Memphis

|terminus_b=I-40 in Memphis

|established=1958

|established_ref=

|circa_established=

|decommissioned=

|decommissioned_ref=

|circa_decommissioned=

|notes=Entire loop at one time proposed to be I-240.
Northern side of loop designated as I-40 upon completion, due to abandonment of plans to build I-40 through Overton Park.

}}

{{routelist row

|state=TN

|type=I

|route=255

|length_mi=5.38

|terminus_a=I-55/I-240 in Memphis

|terminus_b=I-40/I-240 in Memphis

|established=1958

|established_ref=

|circa_established=

|decommissioned=1973

|decommissioned_ref=

|circa_decommissioned=

|notes=Original designation of I-240 between western I-40 interchange and I-55

}}

{{routelist row

|state=TN

|type=I

|route=265

|length_mi=2.41

|terminus_a=I-24/I-65 in Nashville

|terminus_b=

|established=1958

|established_ref=

|circa_established=

|decommissioned=2000

|decommissioned_ref=

|circa_decommissioned=

|notes=Replaced by I-65

}}

{{routelist row

|state=TN

|type=I

|route=269

|length_mi=19

|terminus_a=I-269 at Mississippi state line

|terminus_b=I-40/SR 385 in Arlington

|established=2015

|established_ref={{cite news |first=Tom |last=Charlier |url= http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/section-of-i-269-from-collierville-to-mississippi-to-open-friday-2277e22a-9ac6-361b-e053-0100007f363-334333501.html |title=Section of I-269 from Collierville to Mississippi to open Friday |work=The Commercial Appeal |location=Memphis, TN |date= October 19, 2015 |access-date= November 19, 2015}}

|circa_established=

|decommissioned=

|decommissioned_ref=

|circa_decommissioned=

|notes=Will replace SR 385 between Arlington and Millington in future.

}}

{{routelist row

|state=TN

|type=I

|route=275

|length_mi=2.98

|terminus_a=I-40/US 441 in Knoxville

|terminus_b=I-75/I-640/US 25W in Knoxville

|established=1980

|established_ref=

|circa_established=

|decommissioned=

|decommissioned_ref=

|circa_decommissioned=

|notes=Original alignment of I-75 between I-40 and I-75/I-640

}}

{{routelist row

|state=TN

|type=I

|route=440

|length_mi=7.64

|terminus_a=I-40 in Nashville

|terminus_b=I-24 in Nashville

|established=1958

|established_ref=

|circa_established=

|decommissioned=

|decommissioned_ref=

|circa_decommissioned=

|notes=none

}}

{{routelist row

|state=TN

|type=I

|route=475

|length_mi=

|terminus_a=I-40/I-75 near Lenoir City

|terminus_b=I-75 near Heiskell

|established=1995

|decommissioned=2010

|notes=Proposed I-75 bypass of Knoxville, also proposed to be extended to I-40 at exit 407 (SR 66) to provide a complete northern beltway of Knoxville and provide a more direct route to Sevier County/Great Smoky Mountains National Park

}}

{{routelist row

|state=TN

|type=I

|route=640

|length_mi=10.1

|terminus_a=I-40/I-75 in Knoxville

|terminus_b=I-40/US 25W in Knoxville

|established=1958

|established_ref=

|circa_established=

|decommissioned=

|decommissioned_ref=

|circa_decommissioned=

|notes=none

}}

{{routelist row

|state=TN

|type=I

|route=840

|length_mi= 77.28

|terminus_a=I-40 near Dickson

|terminus_b=I-40 near Lebanon

|established=2016

|established_ref=

|circa_established=

|decommissioned=

|decommissioned_ref=

|circa_decommissioned=

|notes=Redesignated from SR 840, the Nashville Southern Beltway.{{AASHTO minutes |year=2015S |page=6 |link= yes |access-date=June 6, 2015}}

}}

{{routelist bottom|keys=former,future}}

File:Pellissippi Parkway (I-140) Westland Drive.jpg|The Pellissippi Parkway (I-140) in West Knoxville

File:Caruthersville Bridge1.jpg|The Caruthersville Bridge carries I-155 across the Mississippi River

File:Interstate 240 - Tennessee - near US 78.jpg|I-240 near US 78

File:TN835 East - Future I-269 Corridor - December 2016 (29766698607).jpg|I-269 in 2016, displaying a "Future I-269 Corridor" sign

File:I-275 Knoxville.jpg|I-275 approaching Sharps Gap

File:I-440 westbound near I-65.jpg|I-440 westbound near the junction with I-65

File:I-640 eastbound.jpg|I-640 north of Downtown Knoxville

File:I-840 SR 96 looking east.jpg|I-840 near the Williamson–Rutherford county line

• {{Portal-inline|U.S. Roads}}

{{reflist}}

• {{commons category-inline|Interstate Highways in Tennessee}}

Interstate