TDOT Begins Substructure Work on I-40 Bridges Over 8th Avenue in Nashville

The Tennessee Department of Transportation said on Sept. 24 that it has started construction on the I-40 over 8th Avenue Bridges Replacement Project in Nashville. The first phase is substructure work, and crews are currently working beneath the bridges. The contract was awarded to Bell & Associates.

What drivers will notice now

During this phase, the 8th Avenue lane beneath the bridges has been restriped so that one southbound lane stays closed until fall 2027. TDOT also allows overnight lane closures on I-40 between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. A staging area has been set up in the gore zone between the divided lanes of I-40, west of the bridges.

The project covers four structures: I-40 westbound and eastbound over 8th Avenue, the I-65 northbound ramp to I-40 westbound, and the I-40 eastbound ramp to I-65 southbound.

Weekend replacements to come

Once the substructure work is finished, TDOT plans to use accelerated bridge construction, replacing each bridge during three continuous weekend closures. The department tentatively plans two weekend closures in October 2027 and a third in April 2028. Those dates are not final, and TDOT has said it will announce specific closure times and detours later. The new bridges will sit on the existing alignments and footprints.

The project is fully state-funded and is being delivered through the construction manager/general contractor method. TDOT's project page lists estimated completion for fall 2028, while Fox 17 reported the department expects substantial completion by summer 2028.

Motorists who use the downtown interchange area are encouraged to check TDOT's SmartWay information before traveling.

Sources: TDOT news release, Sept. 24, 2026, TDOT project page, Fox 17.