Staff Reports
MEMPHIS – The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) is excited to announce the start of the Summer Avenue Widening Project, aimed at improving traffic flow and enhancing safety for all users of this vital transportation corridor.
Beginning June 8, at 7 p.m., traffic will be reduced to one lane in each direction with a turn lane for crews to safely begin working. Note that there will be temporary lane closures, traffic shifts, and weekend intersection closures throughout the project.
The 1.8 miles from near I-40 to east of Sycamore View Road was awarded to Bell & Associates for $69.4 million. Key features of the project include widening Summer Avenue from 2 lanes in each direction with a turn lane to 3 lanes in each direction with a turn lane. The project will also replace bridges over the Wolf River and Fletcher Creek.
The road will be expanded to accommodate additional lanes, reducing congestion and improving travel times. The estimated completion date is June 30, 2028.
The proposed project is 1.87 miles in length and will consist of six 11-ft. travel lanes (3 in each direction), a 12-ft. center two-way left turn lane, and two 4-ft. bike lanes with a 3-ft. buffer along with curb and gutter in both directions, all within 116 feet of right-of-way (ROW). Summer Avenue’s pavement will be milled and overlaid from White Station Road to the beginning of the project near the I-40 ramp to re-stripe the roadway to carry the proposed bike lane to White Station Road.
The project will also replace the bridges over Wolf River and Fletcher Creek. The bridge over Wolf River will include a 12-ft. multi-use path to coincide with improvements to be constructed as part of the Wolf River Greenway.
The improvements will include dual left turn lanes at the intersection of Bartlett Road and the intersection of Sycamore View Road. Roadway lighting is proposed along the route, and upgraded signals will be constructed along Summer Avenue at the intersections of White Station Road, Bartlett Road/Shelby Oaks Drive and Sycamore View Road.
