Interstate-240 Weekend Closures, Motorists Should Expect Long Delays
Interstate to be Closed in 30 Minute Intervals

Memphis, Tenn. – The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) announced today it will be closing a portion of Interstate 240, in both directions under the Walnut Grove Bridge Saturday, June 16 and Sunday, June 17. The 30-minute closures will take place at various times between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. on both days. After each 30-minute closure, traffic will be allowed to clear before another closure occurs. Clearing the traffic could take as long as one hour.

“This will be the last major traffic interruption for the I-240/Walnut Grove project,” said Regional Director Chuck Rychen. “We do expect long delays this weekend, so we hope motorists will plan ahead and use alternate routes.”

Temporary message boards have been placed at several locations, warning motorists of the interstate closures. Traffic moving through the city is advised to take the north loop of I-240 as an alternate route. Other detour routes include Sycamore View Road, Germantown Road, Summer Avenue and Poplar Avenue.

The Walnut Grove/I-240 improvement project consists of widening and raising the bridge over I-240, widening Walnut Grove between the interstate and the Wolf River, replacing the Humphreys intersection with a new interchange, and building three new bridges over the Wolf River to replace the current structure.

The $36 million interchange, roadway and bridge improvement project to Walnut Grove/I-240 is expected to be completed by December, 2008. Dement Construction Company is the contractor.

Additional information and before-and-after computer renderings of the Walnut Grove/I-240 project can be obtained by going to www.tdot.state.tn.us/projects/west.htm.