TN-27 to I-24 New Bridge Over Moccasin Bend

Black Creek Mountain says they will build 30,000 homes over the next few decades. Maybe that is ambitious, but they are certainly building, and even if they weren't, traffic on I-24 continues to increase every year.

There are two bad spots here, those going NW to Signal Mountain, North Chattanooga, Red Bank, and further afield up TN-27 have to drive all the way around the river, and then through downtown by 4th street. TDOT is currently planning to widen and straighten areas by 4th street over the next few years, but after they do so they will hit the maximum possible amount of traffic capacity without impossibly expensive eminent domain.  There are no current plans to widen the area between Lookout Mountain and the river, there might be room to add one lane, but it needed 1 lane added 10 years ago, in another 10 years it will need 2 lanes added. There simply is not room unless you did a double decker freeway.

The solution, rather obviously, is to build a new bridge across Moccasin Bend linking North Chattanooga and Lookout Valley. It makes absolutely no sense to send all the traffic wanting to go north on 27 from Lookout Valley or further south all the way through the cut by the river and through downtown Chattanooga when a more direct route is possible.

There are two options for this, and both I think would need to use very little eminent domain, or relatively inexpensive eminent domain. The first option, in blue, which would be more expensive but possibly better economically in the long run, would come across at the north end of Lookout Valley with a new interchange further north on Brown's Ferry Rd. This would help develop Brown's Ferry Road as a commercial district, but ultimately more eminent domain would be needed.

The second option, in red, is easier, requiring far less eminent domain, but traversing more of Moccasin Bend. Moccasin Bend can be somewhat controversial as it has areas important to Native American heritage, and some nice relatively pristine environmental areas. It is also, however, home to a mental hospital, a golf course, a shooting range, and a waste water treatment plant. I think, entirely, that except for this freeway the area should be kept as parkland as much as possible with no further development allowed, but this freeway is needed, and will be needed more in the future.

With both options I would add a new 27 ramp at Manning street in North Chattanooga, serving a few purposes, not just this interchange, which I would talk about elsewhere.

This project, with a new bridge, will be very expensive, but it is necessary for the future of the city.